An Education Ministry Official: 216,000 First Cycle Secondary Students Dropped Out

Mohammad Mehdi Kazemi, the Deputy for Secondary Education at the Ministry of Education, announced that approximately 216,000 students have dropped out of the first cycle of secondary education, representing about 5% of students aged 12 to 14. The website 'Didban Iran' quoted Kazemi stating that among the 216,000 dropouts, about 67,000 either did not complete primary education or had no desire to continue their studies for various reasons. Meanwhile, the website 'Tejarat News' reported on January 22 that there was a 17% increase in dropouts in the last academic year compared to the 2015-2016 school year. Tejarat News, citing the Research Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, mentioned that over 911,000 individuals dropped out of school last academic year, with more than 279,000 leaving during this period. This data comes at a time when VOA reported on January 1, citing statistics from the Statistical Center of Iran, that nearly 930,000 students dropped out in the 2022-2023 academic year across primary, first cycle secondary, and second cycle secondary education. The Statistical Center of the Islamic Republic also announced in October that at least '556,000 adolescents' in Iran were forced to drop out before entering high school, primarily due to 'poverty and deprivation.' A review of inflation statistics shows that inflation in Iran was around 10% in 2016 and 2017, rising above 27% in 2018, reaching 35% in 2019, and exceeding 36% in 2020. In 2021, inflation surpassed 46% and remained above 46% in 2022, with predictions for 2023 suggesting it could exceed 50%. Additionally, the economic website 'Eco Iran' reported on March 6 that the 'misery index' in the country was at '52 units' in the fall of 2023. The misery index is derived from the aggregation of unemployment and inflation statistics, indicating a critical situation in society. The increase in the number of children dropping out of school and the intensification of crackdowns on teachers in Iran are alarming. Reports indicate that 1.5 million children are on the verge of dropping out, and 14 million children lack adequate food. The situation in Sistan and Baluchestan has been marked by a lack of identification for many, and the government's approach has become 'security-oriented.' The education sector is facing a 12-year record of inflation, and non-governmental schools in Zahedan have been closed due to management by Sunni clerics. The education crisis in Iran is expanding, with rural kindergartens shutting down due to budget cuts and the elimination of hot meals. The Fars Teachers' Association reported that several thousand children have dropped out of school. The school year has begun in impoverished areas, where classrooms lack desks and benches for students.