The Absence of Literacy Education in Schools

Statistics indicate that more than 5 million university students and 13 million school students are studying in Iran. However, the average reading time, even considering textbooks, is about six minutes, and without textbooks, it is slightly more than two minutes. Beyond the number of universities, students, and degrees, what is the status of practical knowledge and literacy in Iran? What is the condition of the general knowledge and information of graduates, and how do we define literacy? Is anyone who has learned to read and write considered literate? We discussed these questions with Saeed Peyvandi, a sociologist and education expert residing in France. He stated that in the first four censuses of Iran (35, 45, 55, and 65), literacy was defined as the ability to read or write a simple Persian text. Later, a new definition was adopted, stating that anyone who has completed educational courses is literate. The problem with both definitions is that literacy today in 1394 (2015) does not hold the same meaning as it did in 1335 (1956). In my opinion, this definition and perspective on literacy in society need to change and be measured by other criteria, such as the highest educational degree or possessing basic skills for working in a modern economy. This is why many societies around the world have abandoned this definition to align with today's realities. However, aside from the definition of a literate person, what has been noticeable in recent years is that the status of general knowledge and practical skills of graduates in Iran is not very promising. Recently, Majid Safarnia, a social psychologist in Iran, stated in an interview with the Tehran newspaper Haft Sobh that one reason for the decline in general knowledge is that people are not actively seeking to acquire additional knowledge. On the other hand, the educational system in Iran, especially in the last couple of decades, has undergone many changes. For instance, some subjects like composition and dictation, which previously helped develop students' writing skills, have been removed from certain educational levels, or experienced and knowledgeable teachers have become caught up in daily struggles, especially economic ones. Perhaps for these reasons, we hear thought-provoking answers in some exam tests or even television competitions from participants who hold university degrees. For example, recently, participants in the television competition 'Seconds,' broadcasted by the Islamic Republic's TV, answered questions such as which assembly approved the abolition of the Qajar monarchy, responding that it was the Assembly of Experts and the Islamic Consultative Assembly! Or to the question of which neighboring countries of Iran have access to the Caspian Sea, they answered Saudi Arabia and Turkey! For this reason, I contacted one of the producers of this competition. He preferred not to be named but tried to answer my questions as much as possible. He stated to Radio Farda that all participants in the competition held bachelor's and master's degrees and had even passed the entrance exam for this competition. On the other hand, considering the reality that literacy education in recent decades in Iran has reportedly grown according to statistics and information, I asked Saeed Peyvandi whether the level of general knowledge of graduates from schools and universities in Iran has decreased compared to the past. Saeed Peyvandi believes that 'this issue is important because our society can have individuals who, despite having university education, possess a very low level of literacy. This indicates that the quality of education in Iran is not high for a certain number of individuals, although we cannot generalize this. On the other hand, since educational methods are based on memorization, without understanding, much of this material is quickly forgotten after learning, raising serious concerns about the quality of the educational system in Iran, where some graduates easily forget much of the information they have learned over the years.' After the changes in the educational environment in today's world and the easier paths to education, the Iranian educational system has also changed somewhat, leading to a kind of leniency in this system. For example, there is no longer news of failing or repeating grades in many educational levels. However, have these changes in the educational system affected the decline in the general knowledge of graduates? This is while many developed countries have also concluded that educational evaluation in the past and the application of old educational methods do not significantly impact education and improving children's education, which is why these methods have gradually been replaced with others. But what is the situation in Iran? Saeed Peyvandi says: 'In many countries where the efficiency of the educational system is desirable, like Finland or South Korea, there is no failing or repeating in most educational stages. This is not related to the level of education. However, abolishing some methods without making fundamental changes in our educational methods to make learning the main issue instead of grades has not occurred in Iran. That is, Iran implements many of these reforms in a copycat manner from other countries without applying all the necessary measures and contexts for executing reforms simultaneously. Therefore, Iran is caught in a duality. It tries to modernize its methods but lags significantly in modernizing educational equipment and training knowledgeable teachers and educators, resulting in no serious changes in the Iranian educational system.' We talked about education but did not mention the problems and difficulties faced by teachers in Iran. Many of them are not only deprived of modern knowledge but also struggle with numerous economic and administrative issues. Saeed Peyvandi states: 'In Iran, we are faced with two significant phenomena. First, the important changes we want to make in learning methods require our teachers to be familiar with very basic theories and skills related to working with students, which unfortunately is not the case. The second issue is that many of our teachers, due to low salaries, are forced to take on second and third jobs, and thus the teaching profession practically exists alongside other jobs for them. For this reason, Iran faces a lack of teachers in the broadest sense of the word. The application of new educational methods and high-quality training in schools has become the main issue for all schools worldwide. This depends on the quality of teachers and school equipment, and in both areas, Iran is significantly behind the world.' Today, books, notes, and handwritten materials have gradually been replaced by digital worlds, tablets, and smartphones, and every day, education and learning scientific concepts take a different path. However, has this digital world and all these new communication tools been able to replace old papers and books, and has digital life played a role in reducing the general knowledge level and information of people, especially the youth? Saeed Peyvandi, an education sociologist, says: 'This complaint exists in many educational systems around the world, although it is somewhat exaggerated. There is a global evaluation that assesses 15-year-old students at the end of compulsory education in many countries, which is repeated every three years, and instead of relying on the certificates these children have obtained, it focuses more on their learning. In this exam, known as PISA, despite technological advancements, we do not witness a severe decline in the level of students' learning worldwide.' Sadegh Hedayat, a renowned contemporary writer, humorously writes in his book Haji Agha through the main character, Haji Agha, to his young son that 'a lot of literacy is not necessary and drives one crazy and holds one back in life. Just pay attention to the lessons of arithmetic and syntax. Once you learn the four basic operations, it is enough to keep track of money and not be deceived.'