10% of Students in West Azerbaijan Province Drop Out of Education; Total Dropouts in the Country Reaches 1.66 Million

On the eve of the new school year, the Director General of Social and Cultural Affairs of the West Azerbaijan Governorate announced that this province has a dropout rate of 10%, making it the second highest in the country. Afshar Kabiri stated that West Azerbaijan ranks second in the country for school dropouts, following Sistan and Baluchestan. Kabiri also referred to national statistics, indicating that the situation regarding school dropouts is concerning, with the number rising from 776,000 students in 2016 to 1.66 million today. An examination of published statistics on school dropouts reveals contradictions in government officials' statements, with real figures obscured by these inconsistencies. In this context, the Vice Chairman of the Education Commission in the Islamic Consultative Assembly reported on July 4 that the number of school dropouts in Iran is 911,000, including 400,000 primary school students. Previously, the Statistical Center of Iran had reported over 929,000 dropouts for the 2021-2022 academic year. Similarly, the Research Center of the Parliament reported 930,000 dropouts for the year 2023. The statistics on dropouts and those not entering the educational system are fraught with contradictions, but the figure of 1.66 million mentioned by the Director General is alarming according to experts. Analysts believe that one of the main reasons, if not the most significant, for these dropouts is economic issues. In this regard, the Statistical Center of the Islamic Republic also reported in October 2023 that at least 556,000 Iranian adolescents are forced to drop out before entering high school, primarily due to 'poverty and deprivation.' This reflects the depth of poverty in society and its impact on literacy and development. Beyond these events, warnings about dropping out are very serious; in November 2023, a researcher from the Research Center of the Parliament expressed concern about the situation of children in Iran, stating that 1.5 million children are on the verge of dropping out, and 14 million children live in households that cannot afford even the minimum food basket. Over 40% inflation in recent years has caused housing costs to account for 70 to 80% of expenses among lower-income households, leaving heads of households unable to meet other essential needs, including food, healthcare, clothing, and education. A newspaper reported that 110,000 first graders have dropped out due to rising costs. The millions of tomans required for school supplies at the start of the new school year have impacted educational inflation. According to the Ministry of Education, 216,000 children have dropped out. With two weeks until the start of the school year in Iran, a local official stated that about 12,000 eligible first graders in Tehran have not yet registered. The Ministry of Education reported 164,000 school dropouts, and 'seven regions of the country' face a shortage of schools, leading to an increase in children dropping out due to poverty.