Member of the Education Commission: 68,000 Teachers Have Left the Educational System

A member of the Education Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly reported that 68,000 teachers have exited the educational system of Iran at the beginning of the academic year, and there are 100,000 classrooms without teachers. Mohammad Wahidi, in an interview with the website 'Ruydad 24', deemed the teacher shortage challenge serious and added that there were 23,000 educational service teachers who have been barred from entering classrooms this year. He mentioned what he called 'the will of representatives to impeach the Minister of Education' and stated that 35 signatures have been collected for this purpose so far. Previously, Mohammad Taghi Fallahi, the secretary of the Teachers' Trade Association of Tehran, had cited 'severe budget shortfalls in education' as one of the main factors behind the teacher shortage affecting 23,000 classrooms, equivalent to about 460,000 students. Fallahi emphasized on October 4 in an interview with the online newspaper 'Faraz Online' that policymakers' negligence towards education has led to the Ministry of Education not receiving adequate financial resources over the past 40 or 50 years, resulting in a 'heavy budget deficit'. According to the secretary of the Teachers' Trade Association of Tehran, the budget deficit has caused the government to retreat from fulfilling its primary responsibilities, including free education, and has imposed this shortfall on the families of students. Article 30 of the Constitution emphasizes that 'the government is obliged to provide free educational facilities for all citizens until the end of secondary education and to expand higher education facilities free of charge to the extent of national self-sufficiency.' Teachers and their trade unions have repeatedly called for the implementation of this article. According to reports from Iranian media, Reza Morad Sahraei, the Minister of Education of the Islamic Republic, confirmed a shortage of 200,000 teachers and promised that, in addition to hiring 75,000 new teachers, the shortages would be compensated by employing retirees and final-year students from the Teacher Training University. On the other hand, government pressures on teachers' trade activists have intensified in recent years, especially after the nationwide protests of 2022, with several of them being arrested and imprisoned or facing penalties such as forced retirement, dismissal, suspension, and confiscation of property. The teacher shortage in schools has reached a point where the 'Shabake Shargh' website reported in October on the issues of teacher shortages in Iranian schools, stating that some school administrators have asked families to attend classes and review last year's lessons for students. According to this report, the teacher shortage has occurred across various educational levels and is not limited to a specific grade. The report emphasized that not only teachers but also principals and vice-principals are absent in some schools. On the first day of Mehr, reports emerged indicating that, at the peak of the teacher shortage crisis, the Ministry of Education had prevented the continuation of work with 'student teachers'. The issue of teacher shortages has also reached the parliament, and Hossein Ali Hajideligani, one of the parliament representatives, stated on October 15 in a public session addressing Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the Speaker of the Parliament, 'You said on behalf of the Minister of Education that the teacher shortage problem in all schools has been resolved, but this has not happened.' Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also mentioned that an 'informal' meeting with the Minister of Education would be held. Prior to this, the 'Young Journalists Club', affiliated with the Islamic Republic's state television, reported on October 7 that 'our citizen reporters from across the country have reported teacher shortages in some schools and requested officials to address the issue.' The teacher shortage and the promises of Islamic Republic officials to 'provide teachers' for classrooms without teachers have gripped Iran's educational system, while educators and teachers have repeatedly held protests in recent years to achieve their professional and livelihood demands and criticized the prevailing education policies in the country. These peaceful protests have faced security and judicial responses from the Islamic Republic, and several of them have been imprisoned or dismissed. Support for imprisoned teachers was expressed during a protest by retired civil servants in Ahvaz. Sattar Rahmani stated: 'Martial law has been established in schools, but this should not stop teachers' street protests.' The appeals court in Fars Province sentenced 8 teachers' trade activists to 37 years in prison. Sentences have been issued for several teachers' trade activists in Shiraz; a political activist was arrested in Mashhad. The consequences of increasing poverty in Iran: '556,000 teenagers' have dropped out of school before entering high school. The Teachers' Trade Association of Bushehr condemned the arrest of two teachers' trade activists. The education crisis in Iran has expanded; 'village kindergartens' have been closed due to budget cuts and the elimination of hot meal promises.