Against the backdrop of Iran’s education crisis, the Ministry of Education, under the government of Ebrahim Raisi, grapples with unprecedented challenges.
This crisis extends beyond the shortage of teachers and classrooms to a fundamental shift in priorities, where ideological influence takes precedence over addressing critical issues within the education system.
In this context, the advisor to the Minister of Education, Hamid Nikzad, recently unveiled a strategic move—the establishment of seminary-affiliated schools—as part of a broader initiative to infuse religious teachings into the educational landscape.
Amidst the myriad challenges confronting the Ministry of Education in Ebrahim Raisi’s administration, officials have chosen to prioritize ideological influence over addressing the pressing issues faced by schools, students, and teachers.
Hamid Nikzad, the advisor to the Minister of Education, announced the establishment of schools affiliated with the seminary, expressing the hope that this initiative would play a significant role in promoting Iranian-Islamic culture.
Nikzad also disclosed the continuation of projects such as ‘Amin’ and ‘Mosque, School, and Home,’ urging improvements in their quality. The ‘Amin’ project focuses on recruiting students for the “propagation of Islamic education and addressing students’ religious doubts” in Iranian schools.
Currently implemented in 7,000 schools across Iran. The attention now turns to the upcoming year’s budget, with the anticipation of increased funding for ideological measures, leveraging national unrest and teacher and student protests.
These plans involve seminary students intermittently attending schools, unconcerned about employment, as they propagate religious values, hijab, and the Islamic Republic system.
Religious groups close to the government are actively seeking a share of the budget by presenting a balance sheet and defining ideological projects before the budget bill’s approval.
Nikzad, referring to these plans, advocated for stronger connections between mosques and schools, emphasizing the need to involve students directly in this process.
Simultaneously, reports reveal that approximately 100,000 classrooms nationwide lack teachers, with a shortage of 14,500 teachers reported in Sistan and Baluchistan province. Additionally, Ilam’s representative highlighted shortages in 506 schools within the province.
Last week, the secretary of seminary cooperation and education addressed the recruitment of female students for schools, emphasizing their training in fields like “religious education of children and adolescents.”
Despite concerns about their selection, he argued that the presence of female students as elementary teachers aligns with the Islamic evolution of education.
While education budgets are allocated to scholars and seminaries, issues such as teacher shortages, inadequate schools, non-standardized educational institutions, and insufficient school services persist without viable solutions.
Deputy Minister of Education Hamidreza Khan Mohammadi expressed concern about 3.5 million students studying in hazardous schools, attributing this to the transformation of Iran’s primary schools into literary institutions.
Reports also surfaced about the presence of IRGC forces in schools, allegedly aimed at countering dissenting voices among students.
The overarching concern is that, despite fundamental education needs, the government, IRGC, seminaries, and security institutions prioritize advancing the regime’s goals in schools, overshadowing the essential requirements of students in the educational landscape.
Source » irannewsupdate