Uzbek Language Restored on Jawzjan University Sign Following Public Protests.
Following widespread public protests, the Uzbek word for “University” has been reinstated on the official sign of Jawzjan University.
The Taliban had previously removed the Uzbek term from the university sign, which sparked strong reactions among the residents of Jawzjan, many of whom saw it as a disregard for the language and identity of the Uzbek community. On Thursday, 20 November 2025, a new sign was installed featuring both Uzbek and Pashto languages.
Last week, after the removal of the Uzbek word, Neda Mohammad Nadim, the Taliban Minister of Higher Education, ordered that the term be restored. In recent years, the Taliban have removed the word “University” from signs at several Afghan universities and have even excluded Persian from official signage.
However, in this recent case, the Taliban reversed their decision and reinstated the Uzbek term on the Jawzjan University sign.
