The Director General of the Office for Social Harm Prevention at the Ministry of Education has stated that addicted students are identified in schools but will not be expelled, and the Welfare Organization has announced the establishment of centers in Iran for children's addiction treatment. Nader Mansourkiayi said on Tuesday, April 2, to the Fars News Agency that no student with a substance use disorder will be expelled from school. Mansourkiayi added that efforts are being made to 'identify and treat at-risk students and provide them with social work services.' According to this official, identified addicted students 'will be referred to cooperating agencies for treatment and social support if needed.' The Ministry of Education has been collaborating since 2013 with the Drug Control Headquarters, the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education, and the Welfare Organization to identify addicted students in Iranian schools. It seems that one of the results of this collaboration is the establishment of a special camp for addicted students, which Majid Rezazadeh, head of the Prevention Development Center of the Welfare Organization, provided details about on Sunday. Rezazadeh stated that 'the Welfare Organization does not have a specific definition for a special camp for students and does not intend to establish a camp specifically for these individuals.' He added, 'According to the arrangements made between the Welfare Organization and the Ministry of Education, only students identified as having addiction issues in schools will be referred for treatment through a process.' According to this official, 'addicted students are identified by educational counselors and referred to the Welfare Organization.' Based on the announcement from the Director General of the Office for Social Harm Prevention at the Ministry of Education, currently, 136,000 students in Iran are at risk of substance abuse. Nader Mansourkiayi had previously announced that 'one percent of students are addicted, indicating a significant number of individuals dependent on drugs.' Mansourkiayi added that 'most substance-using students are boys over the age of 15.' On February 23, a member of the Social Commission of the Parliament, Hossein Tala, reported the presence of 130,000 'addicted' students in schools. Last November, Shahindokht Molaverdi, the Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, announced that the 'average age of addiction' among girls is 13 years. In this context, Molaverdi reported an increase in unemployment and addiction rates among girls. The Minister of Interior stated that there are 40,000 addicted homeless individuals in 12 provinces of Iran. The identification of 780 addicted infants and children was reported in the first nine months of 2016.
An Iranian Education Ministry Official: Addicted Students Will Not Be Expelled
Iran's Education Ministry has announced that students identified as addicted will not face expulsion from schools, emphasizing treatment and support instead. This initiative is part of a broader collaboration with the Welfare Organization and other agencies to address student addiction issues. The situation highlights the growing concern over youth addiction in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Iran's Education Ministry announced that students identified as addicted to substances will not be expelled from school, focusing instead on treatment and support. This initiative is part of a broader effort to address the rising issue of youth addiction in the country.
- Approximately 136,000 students in Iran are at risk of substance abuse.
- The average age of addiction among girls is reported to be as young as 13 years.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has been grappling with rising addiction rates, particularly among youth, which poses significant social and economic challenges.
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