Continued Criticism of the Minister of Education in the Pezeshkian Government; Making People Religious Is Not Your Job

Following the statements made by the Minister of Education in the Pezeshkian government regarding the education and promotion of the culture of prayer, the Quran, and sacrifice as the most important duties of education, a Tehran-based newspaper criticized the new minister, stating that "making people religious is not your job, and people do not send their children to school to become religious and pray." The newspaper Etemad reacted to the Minister of Education's remarks, emphasizing that "making people religious is among the duties and functions of the clergy and religious institutions, not other institutions." Etemad wrote: "Does education have the appropriate personnel or structure for this purpose? Moreover, what should the clergy do then?" According to the author of Etemad, this institution has not been able to perform the educational function of religiosity, let alone the educational aspect of religiosity. The article emphasized that as a result of past performance, students are becoming increasingly distanced from religious values, "because you are asking for a duty and mission from education that is not defined and is not suitable for it." From the author's perspective, "people do not send their children to school to become religious and pray; it has other responsibilities there." These reactions come while there has been no mention of the resolutions of the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council in this regard, which under the supervision of Ali Khamenei, sets policies and often legislates. Analysts consider the approach of Alireza Kazemi, the Minister of Education in the Pezeshkian government, to align with the overarching educational policy outlined by the government, and refer to governments and ministers as unquestioning executors of these policies. According to some analysts, this approach has led to the lack of importance of having experience, plans, and a new perspective on education in the selection of the Minister of Education. According to a report by VOA, reviewing recent events in the Ministry of Education indicates this approach. In this context, in December of last year, Narges Malekzadeh, a teacher in Tehran schools, stated that "teaching students has become harder than before" and told the news website "Khabar Online": "Students are not interested in subjects like religious education." Despite these scattered warnings, education officials in recent years have emphasized the ideological nature of education and have taken steps in this direction. Accordingly, Reza Naghi Zadeh, the Director General of the Higher Education Planning Office of the Ministry of Science of the Islamic Republic, announced on May 7, 2023, the beginning of planning to "reform" the curriculum of universities with the cooperation of "more than 7,000" members of the "scientific board." Reza Morad Sahraei, the former Minister of Education of the Islamic Republic, also announced on November 1, 2023, through a circular, that the "prayer bell" is "mandatory" in all schools and at all educational levels. In November of last year, the Secretary of the Collaboration Headquarters of the Clerical Establishments and Education stated in an interview with ISNA about the hiring of 3,000 male and female clerics as teachers that "the clerics who cooperate with this ministry in the 'Amin' plan are completely 'spontaneous' and 'jihadist' and work in the educational affairs of schools without receiving any financial assistance from the Ministry of Education." The Coordination Council of Teachers' Unions of Iran also emphasized in a statement on January 10, 2024, in response to the instrumental use of children for ideological purposes by the Islamic Republic, that "removing the ideological structure from the educational system is one of the main demands of union activists." According to reports, the Islamic Republic's plan to create content changes in textbooks and its experimental implementation for first graders will be operational from the beginning of October 2024. The Director General of "Witness and Martyrs' Affairs" in the Ministry of Education in the Raisi government also announced a new approach of this ministry in education and stated that "the promotion of the culture of martyrdom in schools has begun, and the content of textbooks will also change with this approach." Zahra Panahi Rava emphasized that textbooks will gradually change, and all topics related to "promoting martyrdom will be considered in the upcoming changes." Changing the content of textbooks and the educational approach in schools has been a concern of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic for years. Ali Khamenei has repeatedly shown sensitivity to the content of textbooks and called for a review of the content of educational materials. In May 2022, during a meeting with teachers and educators from across the country, he stated that "useless content in textbooks should be removed." Khamenei's demand for changes in educational content began in the 1990s. In one of his speeches in 2000, during a meeting with clerics, he called for planning for transformation in the educational system and textbooks of major educational centers, especially education. In May 2014, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic also stated during a meeting with teachers and educators that changes should occur in this system in terms of both form and content. A teachers' union activist stated: "Morad Sahraei has commercialized the quality of education." Protests by teachers were held in at least 10 cities in Iran despite government threats and promises. After the employment test, jihadist activity and membership in the Basij are conditions for teachers' employment. The decline in education instead of improving the system is the government's "one article" in education. The Minister of Education stated that "revised textbooks" will be taught from October. The new program of the head of the Islamic Propaganda Organization for students: We will bring the Quran into their lives. Ebrahim Raisi has mandated the teaching of "Defense Sacred Sciences and Knowledge" in schools and universities. The decline of education in Iran; a severe drop in students' academic performance. A clerical official stated: Female clerics and clerical soldiers are present in schools. Content changes for first graders will take place in October 2024.