Two Weeks Until the Start of the School Year in Iran; A Local Official Says 'About 12,000' Eligible First Graders in Tehran Province Have Not Registered Yet

With two weeks remaining until the start of the school year in Iran, Masoud Bahrami, the Director General of Education in Tehran Province, states that 'about 10,000 to 12,000 eligible first graders' have yet to register. This official has urged the parents of these children to 'act sooner,' or they will face issues with registration and obtaining textbooks. Bahrami also mentioned that 'it is expected that around 1 million and 150 thousand students will be studying in the current academic year in the counties of Tehran Province.' An analysis of data from the Statistical Center of Iran shows that in the academic year 1401-1402, 929,798 individuals dropped out of education across various educational levels. Last year, the highest dropout rates were among those aged 15 to 17. The population of children aged 6 to 11 in the previous academic year was 9,086,805. Among them, 96,202 boys and 78,912 girls dropped out of school, totaling 175,114 children aged 6 to 11 recorded as dropouts. The reasons for parents' reluctance to register their children have not been disclosed, but last year, the Research Center of the Parliament identified economic factors as one of the reasons for dropping out, stating: 'In 1399, about 70% of dropouts were from income deciles one to five.' Last week, the Deputy Minister of Primary Education announced that there are 164,000 dropouts in Iran. The state news agency IRNA quoted Rezvan Hakimzadeh as saying, 'We match children who reach the age of 6 with registration statistics and consider those who are outside the registration system as dropouts.' Experts believe that the statistics announced by the Ministry of Education only pertain to children who cannot enter the educational system, and on a larger scale, the dropout rate is much higher. The Deputy Minister of Primary Education also reported on August 19, 2023, an increase in dropouts at the primary level, stating that the latest dropout statistics at this level are 160,000 students. A review of official statistics shows that 70% of 'dropouts' are from the lower income deciles one to five. In this context, Mohammad Molavi, a member of the Education Committee of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, stated in July of this year that 279,000 children have dropped out due to 'financial problems.' Inflation exceeding 40% in recent years has caused the share of housing costs among the lower income deciles to reach 70 to 80%, leaving household heads unable to meet other essential needs, including food, healthcare, clothing, and education. The Ministry of Education has reported 164,000 children as dropouts. A report from Ham-Mihan discusses the 'illiteracy disaster' in Iran; many high school students do not know multiplication tables. 'Seven regions of the country' are facing a shortage of schools, and the increase in 'dropouts' is attributed to poverty. The reduction in the education budget coincides with over 900,000 children dropping out of school. The new academic year is approaching with a shortage of 80,000 teachers.