Iran's minister of education has said that approximately 750,000 students in the country are not continuing their education, though he distanced the issue from systemic failures within the education sector.
Speaking on Saturday, Alireza Kazemi stated that the widespread school dropout rates are largely driven by familial, economic, and social factors, rather than structural shortcomings within the Ministry of Education.
Inflation in Iran has been hovering around 40% for the past five years, impoverishing about one-third of the population. As families find themselves under tremendous financial pressure, they are unable to afford expenses and many children go to work at menial jobs.
Kazemi reported that about 150,000 of these dropouts are from the early primary education level, while the remaining students come from both lower and upper secondary levels.
“The dropout issue is more complex than a lack of school infrastructure. It involves broader socioeconomic factors that extend beyond the ministry’s direct control,” he added.
This statement follows recent comments by Ali Rabiei, advisor on social affairs to President Masoud Pezeshkian, who reported on Thursday that 170,000 children were not attending school at the primary level, with dropout rates increasing sharply after elementary school.
Rabiei’s comments highlight a worrying trend of educational disengagement at a young age, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged regions.
Kazemi, however, countered statements that the Iranian education system is underfunded or under-resourced.
Iran's education system faces numerous systemic challenges, including outdated curricula, overcrowded classrooms, and underfunded schools, all of which hinder the quality of learning. Teachers often work in difficult conditions with limited resources, struggling to address the diverse needs of students.
The lack of adequate infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, exacerbates these issues, making it harder for students to access quality education.
The minister also pointed to the challenges faced by secondary-level students, many of whom, Kazemi claimed, are seeking employment or vocational training opportunities.
He also identified cultural and gender barriers, particularly for rural girls who are prevented from attending mixed-gender schools.
“There are sociocultural factors at play,” he added, suggesting that these barriers to education are a significant driver of the dropout crisis.
Criticism of the ministry’s handling of the dropout issue has grown in recent months. Farshad Ebrahimpour, a member of the Education Committee in Parliament, said on October 21 that around two million students had failed to register for school this year, largely due to economic constraints faced by families.
Kazemi also dismissed the notion that there is a shortage of schools, teachers, or educational resources, instead arguing that the issue stems from external pressures on families, not the system's capacity to deliver education.
In a provocative response to critics, Kazemi suggested that those questioning the education system could ask children seen working at Tehran’s intersections why they aren’t in school.
"The issue is not one of access," he said. "It is about the choices made by families and communities in the face of economic hardship."
Iran's education system is further undermined by the economic struggles of teachers, whose salaries have not kept pace with inflation, leading to widespread dissatisfaction.
Teachers in Iran face financial hardship, as they earn less than $200 a month. This economic pressure has sparked a series of protests in recent years, with educators demanding better pay, improved working conditions, and greater investment in the education sector.
Despite these protests, the government's response has been largely dismissive, contributing to a sense of neglect and disillusionment among teachers. The lack of attention to their demands has not only affected teachers’ morale but also impacted the quality of education, as many educators seek additional work to make ends meet, diverting their focus from their primary responsibility of teaching.
Data provided by Iranian media in September showed that nearly 790,000 students were out of school this year.
In a separate report, Mohammad Molavi, Deputy Chairman of the Education Committee in parliament, said in July that 911,000 students were not attending school, with 400,000 of them at the primary education level.
Molavi also highlighted that financial difficulties were a major factor behind the dropouts, with 279,000 students leaving school due to their families' inability to cover education-related costs.
As the debate over the country's educational crisis continues, the broader socioeconomic challenges does not mean that parents are opposed to education but they are just poor.
