Existence of '23 Types of Public Schools'; 'Learning Poverty' Among Students from Low Income Families

The Deputy Minister of Primary Education of the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Education has stated that students suffering from learning poverty are mostly from low-income families and that their learning deficiencies must be addressed. The current situation in the education sector is attributed to educational policies in Iran, which experts say have created a class divide in education. In this context, Ali Jafari-Azar, a representative from Tabriz in Parliament, has reported on the 'activity of 23 types of public schools,' stating that the existence of these schools brings no benefit to society and has created multiple negative effects, making this situation indefensible. According to ISNA news agency, Rezvan Hakimzadeh, the Deputy Minister of Primary Education, emphasized that learning assessment statistics across the country show that many primary school students need to put in more effort in basic subjects. Hakimzadeh has stressed that the focus in primary education is on the comprehensive development and growth of students. In November of this year, she also mentioned that 40% of children entering school suffer from 'learning poverty.' This education official also noted on February 6 that nearly 169,000 Iranian children have dropped out of primary education, pointing to various challenges within the educational system in Iran. Ali Rabiei, the social assistant to the President of the Islamic Republic, also stated on February 6 that nearly 49% of working and street children in Iran have dropped out of school. Experts believe that the issue of poverty and the income needs of families in the lower income brackets have led many students to enter the labor market. Jafari-Azar told the government news agency Tasnim that the diversity of public schools has multiple disadvantages, noting that until 25 years ago, there was only one type of public school, but later, due to a shortage of educational spaces, private or non-profit schools began to operate. Many experts believe that alongside educational policies, economic policies have also weakened the educational system and diminished students' willingness to continue their studies. In this regard, the newspaper Shargh reported on October 23 of this year, stating: 'Education has lost its economic function. Until 20 or even 10 years ago, education was the best opportunity for advancement and social mobility, but currently, individuals cannot achieve class mobility through higher education.' The newspaper emphasized that 'students consider dropping out and entering the labor market as a win for themselves and view studying and the hours spent in class as a loss.' Data published by the Statistical Center also shows that in the last school year, nearly one million students dropped out of school, with the main reason being economic issues.