The issue of what students should wear at schools has become one of the most heated public debates in Azerbaijan today, going beyond questions of classroom conduct to the issues of secular education and religious freedom in Azerbaijan. What began as a discussion about the implementation of school uniform regulations has increasingly acquired political dimensions, drawing reactions from religious commentators, political figures and even Azerbaijan's closest regional partner, Türkiye. At the centre of this sensitive topic is a decision adopted by Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers on September 21, amending the regulations governing uniforms in state general education institutions.
Under Resolution No. 309, clothing elements that undermine the prescribed uniform or contradict the secular principle of general education are not permitted. The decision also allows traditional national clothing at school events dedicated to Azerbaijani history, culture, and national values, subject to approval by the school's Pedagogical Council. The above-mentioned transformations were implemented after the adoption of a new version of the Law on General Education this year, where the principles of national identity and secularism were established.
In addition, special regulations concerning teachers' clothes in state schools were approved on October 6. The distinction is important in Azerbaijan, whose Constitution establishes the secular character of the state while protecting freedom of religion and conscience. Article 48 guarantees the right to profess a religion, or none, and to express religious beliefs.
The central dispute therefore concerns how those protections interact with the specific rules governing public schools. Amid the increasingly polarised discussion, another question has emerged: whether the debate should focus exclusively on religious clothing or also consider Azerbaijan's own traditions of modest dress, particularly the kelaghayi, the traditional silk headscarf recognised by UNESCO in 2014 as part of humanity's intangible cultural heritage. Speaking to AzerNEWS, theologian Tural Irfan argued that the introduction of standard uniforms in Azerbaijan's secondary schools should be understood as a measure intended to protect equality, discipline and the secular character of education, rather than as a restriction on religious freedom: "The introduction of a standard uniform in secondary schools not only protects social equality but also corresponds to religious and moral principles, as well as social requirements.
Religion itself emphasises equality, justice and modesty, including the importance of avoiding excessive displays of wealth or status, even through clothing. In this regard, we have sometimes observed two different tendencies among secondary school students, particularly in the upper grades. On the one hand, there has been a tendency towards overly revealing clothing, while on the other, there has been a tendency towards excessively restrictive forms of dress.
In some cases, these have gone beyond religious requirements and reflected colours, symbols and clothing traditions associated more closely with Arab or Persian national customs. A fair and unified principle has therefore been adopted to bring these different tendencies under a common standard. There is nothing extraordinary about this.
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