Education Minister Announces 'Revised' Textbooks to Be Taught Starting in October

The Minister of Education of the Islamic Republic announced the ministry's plan to hire 72,000 teachers this year and stated that from the beginning of October 2024, education in the first grade of elementary school will be conducted with new textbooks. The public relations office of the Ministry of Education quoted Reza Morad Sahraei, stating that alongside the hiring of 72,000 teachers, 20,000 graduates from Farhangian University and Rajai University will also enter schools. This hiring comes at a time when a large number of teachers who have been active in the educational system in recent years are facing numerous problems regarding their professional rights and contract conditions, leading to ongoing protests in recent months and years. Morad Sahraei also emphasized that the impact of the changes in textbooks will be noticeably observed in 2025. Previously, on December 9, 2023, the head of the Research and Educational Planning Organization announced the finalization of the Islamic Republic's plan to make content changes in textbooks and to implement it experimentally for first graders starting in October 2024. Ali Latifi stated that the aim of these changes is to 'prepare students for life' and that the curriculum should be organized accordingly. It is noteworthy that the changes in textbooks have been initiated at the request of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader. In this context, the director of the 'Witness and Veterans Affairs' department of the Ministry of Education announced in February 2023 the ministry's new approach to education, stating that 'the promotion of the culture of martyrdom in schools has begun and the content of textbooks will also change accordingly.' Zahra Panahi Rava emphasized that textbooks will gradually change and that all topics related to 'promoting martyrdom will be considered in the upcoming changes.' The alteration of textbook content has been a concern of the Supreme Leader for years. Khamenei has repeatedly shown sensitivity to the content of textbooks and has called for a review of the subjects taught. In May 2022, during a meeting with teachers and educators nationwide, 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 'seminarians,' he called for planning for transformation in the educational system and textbooks of major educational centers, especially in education. In May 2014, the Supreme Leader also stated in a meeting with teachers and educators that changes should occur in this system both in terms of format and content.