As 'Student Teachers' Are Dismissed, Education Minister Reports 'Teacherless Classes'

In recent days, as the Ministry of Education has prevented 'student teachers' from continuing their work, the Minister of Education announced that several classes have been left 'without teachers' and that teachers will be provided for them by mid-October. Reza Morad Sahraei mentioned that 'exact statistics are not available' regarding the number of teacherless classes. This situation in the country's education sector comes as the Iranian Teachers' Union reported on October 1st that 'according to reports from colleagues, some student teachers from the 2019 intake who were supposed to be organized this year have faced letters of non-conversion to permanent status and prohibition of employment.' Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic's approach to 'cleansing' schools and universities of critical professors and teachers has led to the dismissal of educators being prioritized. In this context, the teachers' unions of Kermanshah, Islamabad-e Gharb, and Harsin protested in a statement on September 12th against the government's 'comprehensive assault' on the 'livelihood, life, and the critical and valuable duties of teachers and university professors.' The authors of that statement condemned the consequences of 'destructive and ruinous educational policies' and the marginalization of basic and higher education, which they deemed as 'causing' the arrest, dismissal, and suspension of teachers, university professors, and workers, and condemned the 'dismissal and suspension of national assets in complete injustice.' The 'Iranian Academic Staff Association' also issued a statement on Sunday, September 5th, warning about the 'destructive interference' of the Islamic Republic's governmental, security, and intelligence institutions in the education and university sectors. The dismissal of some critical teachers and professors and the announcement of a teacher shortage by the Minister of Education comes at a time when a member of parliament announced in the last week of September the hiring of seven thousand teachers from seminaries in the education sector. Mojtaba Zolnouri stated that 7,000 teachers, especially from the female section of seminaries, are set to be hired for educational activities. The continued repression of academics, students, and teachers coincides with the start of the new school year, with astronomical costs; media reports indicate that parents are paying for school transportation in installments. The unveiling of 'hijab patrols' at universities; the security of Tehran University has prevented students from entering with headscarves. Pressure on universities, ethical guidelines, and deprivation of dormitory access; students are not returning from the path taken. The ongoing pressure and repression include mandatory retirement of professors, deprivation of education, and the detention of students.