Dr. Ahmad Shoaib Muslimyar, a faculty member in the “Education and Training” department at Samangan University, has resigned from his position, citing the Taliban’s strict constraints on academic staff.
A copy of Dr. Ahmad Shoaib Muslimyar’s resignation letter, dated Wednesday, November 15, was provided to Hasht-e Subh Daily.
In his resignation letter, the university professor stated, “Various restrictions imposed on academic work as part of the government policy have eroded our academic freedom. These constraints include opposition to university-related terms, laboratories, research, and any healthy criticism of authorities. Such restrictions will inevitably lead to the disillusionment and departure of the remaining faculty members.”
He further expressed, “Over the past two years, an authoritarian approach from the leadership of Samangan Higher Education has consistently been imposed on elite members of Afghan society. This authoritarianism persists in the form of compulsory measures and severe restrictions on professors. I consider such behavior contrary to all academic values, and I no longer wish to spend the rest of my academic days under such circumstances.”
Dr. Ahmad Shoaib Muslimyar, a professor at Samangan University for 15 years holding a doctoral degree, mentioned that the Taliban is unwilling to fully pay the doctoral stipends of academic staff who have pursued doctoral studies.
Residing primarily in Balkh province, he cited “geographical distance” as another reason for leaving his position and added, “Excessive localism among some academic colleagues and the lack of a clear prospect for my transition, after 15 years of administrative and teaching work from Samangan Higher Education Institute to Balkh, has led me to apologize for continuing my academic career in the mentioned institution.”
It is worth noting that after the Taliban regained control, many professors across the country left Afghan universities due to restrictions and Taliban intervention in academic affairs. Some remaining academics have expressed concerns about security.
