KABUL — Taliban have begun removing schoolteachers across the country in what appears to be a sweeping extension of a broader campaign to downsize public sector staffing, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Following official confirmation that the Taliban leader had ordered reductions in government positions, sources told Amu TV that the cuts have now expanded beyond military and police institutions to include the education sector. Teachers and university professors in several provinces, including women and those over 60, have reportedly been dismissed without formal evaluations or written notices.
Three recently dismissed schoolteachers confirmed to Amu that they were among dozens of education workers terminated over the past two days. “They’ve dismissed a large number of teachers, especially older ones, without justification,” said one teacher, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. “They’ve cut our salaries from 5,000 to 4,500 afghanis. Some teachers have been reassigned to other schools, but the wages don’t even cover transportation or basic living costs.”
Sources also reported that teachers with bachelor’s degrees are now earning as little as 4,500 afghanis (approximately $60), while those without degrees or on daily-wage contracts are receiving as little as 3,000 afghanis.
A leaked internal restructuring plan from the Taliban’s Ministry of Education — previously obtained by Amu — outlined an order from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada to eliminate nearly 90,000 government positions as part of what the ministry called a “rebalancing” of its structure.
The job cuts are not limited to schools. Over the past 48 hours, sources say the Taliban have also begun dismissing university professors from state institutions, including Kabul University. These removals, too, have reportedly occurred without performance reviews or transparent criteria.
Despite mounting evidence, the Taliban’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education have denied that any formal dismissal process is underway.
Meanwhile, state employees across several ministries have reported that their salaries have been delayed for more than two months. Some say they have received no clear communication from the government regarding when payments might resume.
The growing number of layoffs and salary delays comes amid a broader economic crisis and deepening fiscal strain on Afghanistan’s caretaker government, which continues to operate without formal international recognition or sustained donor support.
