Elimination of Humanities Education in Regular Public Schools

The Director General of Education in Tehran announced the prohibition of enrollment in the humanities field, stating that starting next year, there will be no registration for humanities in regular public schools. According to ISNA, Esfandiar Chehrband mentioned in a press conference that students wishing to pursue humanities must enroll in Farhang high schools. He added that efforts are being made to develop Farhang high schools. Currently, there are about 12 Farhang schools in Tehran, but considering that each educational region must have one Farhang high school, at least 24 more schools need to be established by next year. The Director General stated that the education system has reached a critical and decisive stage in establishing a new structure, warning that without precise and intelligent planning, there could be negative repercussions in the future, potentially threatening the achievements of past years. He noted that the most important of these achievements is guiding 35% of students towards technical and vocational branches. The issue of the humanities field has faced challenges in the Islamic Republic for years due to specific perceptions, with even Ayatollah Khamenei warning against studying this field, citing its foundations as stemming from materialistic thoughts. The emphasis on educational guidance aims to effectively distribute human resources in the job market in the coming years, which is why he indirectly stresses directing students towards technical and vocational fields. Esfandiar Chehrband also regarded the Ministry of Education's activities as effective in the development of higher education, stating that until now, higher education has sent incorrect signals regarding educational guidance, but now education must take the helm and signal to higher education on how to develop.