In the Run-Up to the New Year; Teachers' Delayed Salaries for 5 Months

The delay in the payment of salaries for service-purchase teachers has reached 5 months, prompting the Deputy Minister of Education to promise the payment of 2 months of these salaries "in the near future" in response to criticisms. Ali Farhadi made this promise while teachers have not received any salaries for the past 5 months since the reopening of schools, and there is no news of settlements or bonuses, including New Year gifts. This official justified the delay by stating that last educational year, the salaries of service-purchase teachers were paid after 8 months from the start of the school year in May of this year. These statements come as service-purchase teachers face numerous problems and have repeatedly held protests against these issues. On February 19, ISNA reported that service-purchase teachers, who have worked for years in education, still do not have a clear employment status and do not receive appropriate salaries. ILNA also reported on January 17 that a group of service-purchase teachers from various provinces gathered in front of the Ministry of Education in Tehran. This labor news agency, affiliated with the "House of Labor," reported that these teachers are demanding a change in their status and the signing of definite work contracts. The unresolved status of the community of 20,000 service-purchase teachers, alongside their delayed salaries and benefits, comes at a time when inflation remains above 40%, and the paid salaries do not even cover half of the minimum necessary living expenses. The continued dismissal of critical teachers and summons of educational activists coincide with International Mother Language Day and pressure on teachers; a human rights organization reported that 8 Kurdish language teachers were arrested last year. The Iranian Teachers' Association defended the "right to education in the mother tongue," stating that the continuation of a monolingual policy is a mistake. The confirmation of the dismissal of Sara Siyahpour; a teachers' union stated that repression will further ignite the underlying anger. Nine educational activists from Gilan have been summoned to the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Rasht.