Top Students Become Teachers

Following a shortage of teachers in the country and over 400,000 students being left without teachers, the Minister of Education announced the finalization of the 'Talent Discovery for Teaching' initiative in the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council, stating, 'Students who have a teaching disposition will be recruited into the education system and become teachers.' Reza Morad Sahraei mentioned in a television program that 'we asked the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council to provide us with the means to ensure that our best students become our future teachers through a clear process.' The teacher shortage in the education system has become one of the major issues due to the elimination of 'student teachers' and the retirement of a significant number of teachers, prompting members of parliament to consider impeaching the Minister of Education. Reports indicate that in some schools, parents have been asked to attend classes as teachers to fill the gaps. Meanwhile, on November 1, despite widespread criticism from teachers and teacher union activists, as well as some members of parliament, Sahraei claimed that 'there are no classes without teachers' in Iran. This claim came after a member of the Education Commission reported on November 9 that 68,000 teachers had left the Iranian education system at the beginning of the school year, resulting in 100,000 classrooms without teachers. Mohammad Wahidi, in an interview with the 'Ruydad 24' website, acknowledged the serious challenge of teacher shortages, adding that 'we had 23,000 contracted teachers, and this year they were barred from entering classrooms.' Mohammad Taghi Fallahi, Secretary of the Tehran Teachers' Union, also mentioned on October 12 that the severe budget deficit in education was a primary factor behind the teacher shortage affecting 23,000 classrooms, equivalent to approximately 460,000 students. The teacher shortage has reached a point where the 'Shargh Network' website reported in October that some school administrators have asked families to attend classes and review last year's lessons with students. On the first day of school, reports emerged indicating that amid the teacher crisis, the Ministry of Education had prevented the continuation of work with 'student teachers.' Another controversial issue within the Ministry of Education in the past month has been the mandatory prayer bell and the 'requirement for students to submit audio recordings of their prayers at home.' In response to criticisms regarding this issue, Sahraei stated, 'When we faced criticism, we realized our work was correct.' The Minister of Education emphasized that this action is part of a comprehensive program to 'correct the children's prayer habits.' Asghar Baqerzadeh, Deputy Minister of Education, stated on November 5 that school administrators are introducing six parents for roles such as 'prayer assistants' and 'observers' to implement government policies regarding prayer. He added that students must upload an audio file of their prayers to a government system for evaluation. Nemat Bahrami: The Islamic Republic expects school administrators to act as security forces. The Minister of Education's response to criticisms: 'We have no classes without teachers.' A member of the Education Commission: '68,000 teachers have left the education system.' A member of parliament: '15,000 to 20,000 school administrators have been dismissed for political and ideological reasons.'