Parliament's Opposition to the General Principles of the 'Teaching of Ethnic and Local Language Literature' Bill in Schools

While the teaching of mother tongues for various ethnic groups has long been one of the fundamental demands of Kurdish, Turkish, and Arab citizens, members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly opposed the general principles of the 'Teaching of Ethnic and Local Language Literature' bill in today's open session. According to state media, this bill, which was drafted within the framework of Article 15 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was not approved with 104 votes in favor, 130 votes against, and 5 abstentions. During the voting process for this bill, which faced opposition from the parliament, some representatives shouted that the approval of this bill was 'against national security.' The issue of education in the mother tongue has been recognized as a right in international documents and has been a long-standing demand of ethnic groups in Iran. The United Nations has repeatedly emphasized the importance of mother tongue education for preserving cultural diversity and promoting educational justice. In today's session, Ehsan Azimi Rad, spokesperson for the Education and Research Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, defended the bill by stating: 'Article 15 of the Constitution stipulates that the teaching of ethnic and local language literature alongside Persian is permitted in schools, and this bill is entirely in accordance with that. Implementing this bill can help expand justice in the education system across various regions of the country.' This member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly referred to the document 'Fundamental Transformation of Education,' which is a resolution of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, and added: 'According to this document, education must allocate at least 10 to 20 percent of its educational programs to introducing professions, rituals, local customs, and native literature. Preserving national identity and strengthening Islamic-Iranian identity are also among the goals of this bill.' Despite these explanations, the majority of members voted negatively on the bill. The parliament's opposition to this bill has led to reactions from advocates of mother tongue rights and various ethnicities. International organizations, including UNESCO, have always cited mother tongue education in early years as a key factor in students' academic success and a guarantee of equality in educational opportunities. Opposition to mother tongue education, like other discriminatory gender and religious laws, reflects blatant discrimination against ethnic groups and their cultures; discrimination that ethnic groups in Iran have faced for years and that continues to meet resistance from official institutions in realizing their cultural and linguistic rights. Discussions among guests on Voice of America regarding the method of teaching and instruction in the mother tongue in Iran, debates among experts in a special program for 'International Mother Language Day'; when words are foreign in their homeland, various ceremonies held regarding what happened on 'International Mother Language Day' in Iran, and the security file created by the Islamic Republic for mother tongue teachers.