Advisor to the Minister of Education: Seminary Students Are Completely 'Spontaneous' and 'Jihadi' in Schools

The advisor to the Minister of Education of the Islamic Republic pointed out the hiring of three thousand seminary students in the country's educational system, stating that the students collaborating with the ministry in the 'Amin' program are completely 'spontaneous' and 'jihadi' in their activities. Hamid Nikzad explained that the curriculum of these seminary-affiliated schools will not differ from other schools. According to this cleric active in education, all expenses for the 'Amin' program seminary students are covered by the seminary itself. This official in the Ministry of Education also reported the involvement of female seminary students in girls' schools, stating that the seminary-affiliated schools have been established in accordance with the fundamental transformation document of education and in line with the measures of the thirteenth government. The groundwork for the presence of clerics began during the previous Minister of Education's term, when Yusef Noori requested assistance from the seminary to change students' beliefs after their significant participation in nationwide protests last December. He had stated at that time: 'We need to increase our interaction and connection with mosques and external institutions like the seminary.' Ahmad Mahmoudzadeh, head of the organization of non-governmental schools and community participation in the Ministry of Education, also mentioned: 'According to the fundamental transformation document, the goal of educating students is in line with the Islamic Revolution, which requires cooperation and participation from other institutions.' The Islamic Republic has intensified fundamental changes in schools by implementing extensive changes and gender segregation in textbooks and is operationalizing this by introducing clerics into the educational system. Changing the educational system and textbooks is one of Ali Khamenei's demands from governments, which he has repeatedly emphasized. The changes in textbook content in Iran; the 'system' is seeking to promote 'martyrdom.' The decline of education in Iran; a severe drop in student performance. The Ministry of Education and the 'Fashion and Clothing Working Group' have held discussions to promote hijab. A clerical official stated: 'Female seminary students and soldier-seminarians are present in schools.' Changes to the content of first-grade textbooks will occur in Mehr 1403; strengthening ideology in education; the prayer bell is mandatory in all schools in Iran. The IRGC is poised to seize the educational system with 'soldier teachers'; Basij members are prioritized for recruitment as teachers.