One day after the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic criticized the 'unhealthy' promotion of the English language in the country, the President of Iran mandated the Ministry of Education to examine the quality and quantity of foreign language education in schools and report it to the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. According to ILNA news agency, Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday, May 14, called for 'care and seriousness' in foreign language education in schools during a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. Based on this report, Mr. Rouhani obliged the Ministry of Education to 'as soon as possible' collaborate with the secretariat of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution to evaluate the teaching and education of foreign languages in schools 'in terms of quantity and quality' and to present the report for 'planning and organizing this issue' to the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, on May 13 criticized the 'unhealthy' promotion of the English language in educational institutions, stating that 'it has now reached a point where English language education has extended to kindergartens.' He also mentioned that his remarks 'do not mean opposition to learning foreign languages, but the main issue is the promotion of foreign culture in the country and among children, adolescents, and youth.' Last year, the Supreme Leader also criticized the 'prevalence' of English language education, stating that English language textbooks 'convey a Western lifestyle.' In contrast, Hassan Rouhani last year referred to English as the 'language of science' and stated that young people understand that learning this language is 'essential for today's life.' However, Masoud Taqafi, the spokesperson for the Education Department of Tehran, announced last year that conducting foreign language classes as extracurricular activities in elementary schools is prohibited. Following these statements, some news websites criticized the lack of English language classes in elementary education and the prohibition of teaching it as extracurricular. Meanwhile, the Asr Iran website described the English language education system in Iranian schools as 'backward and ineffective,' stating that those who study this language in Iranian schools 'can neither speak, write, read in English, nor even watch an English film and understand it.'
Rouhani Calls for Review of English Language Education in Iranian Schools
President Hassan Rouhani has mandated a review of foreign language education in Iranian schools following criticism from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei regarding the promotion of English. This issue reflects ongoing tensions in Iran over cultural influences and the role of foreign languages in education.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
President Hassan Rouhani has ordered a review of foreign language education in Iranian schools following criticism from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei about the promotion of English. This review aims to assess the quality and quantity of English language education in the country.
- Khamenei criticized the promotion of English, suggesting it conveys Western culture.
- Rouhani previously acknowledged the importance of English as the 'language of science' for young people.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has a complex relationship with foreign languages, particularly English, which is often viewed as a symbol of Western influence. This has led to debates on how foreign languages should be taught in schools.
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Translation confidence: 85%