The state-run website Tejarat News published an article, which it removed shortly after without explanation, stating that escalating poverty in Iran has led a significant portion of high school students to join the labor market, often forcing them to drop out of school.
Tejarat News highlighted that “working students are another indicator of poverty in society,” adding that “many students cannot afford school supplies and educational materials.”
According to this report, another issue plaguing the education sector, particularly in public secondary schools, is the absence of students from their classes.
The report stressed that “most of these students are working.” It further explained that “they skip class hours to help cover their family’s living expenses.”
Fereshteh Mirzaee, an education expert, told the outlet, “This issue is not due to parents’ lack of interest but because living costs have risen so much that there is no room left in household budgets for education.”
Mirzaee attributed the neglect of educational equity and free schooling as the reason children’s education is being sacrificed to economic hardships and poverty.
Meanwhile, on December 13, Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, quoted the Secretary-General of the House of Cooperatives saying, “There is a significant correlation between poverty and school dropouts.”
According to Iranian state media reports, the number of school dropouts in Iran is around one million, with 15 to 17-year-olds representing the largest group.
Experts and analysts believe that the trend of dropping out of school ultimately leads to greater social and economic inequality, reinforcing the cycle of poverty.
Economists argue that a low-educated, low-skilled workforce is an obstacle to economic growth and national development. Social activists also warn about the prevailing conditions in the country, believing that school dropouts exacerbate social problems such as rising crime, addiction, and social disorder.
In this context, on September 22, the newspaper Shargh wrote: “Education has lost its economic function. Twenty or even ten years ago, education was the best means of advancement and moving between social classes, but today, higher education no longer enables social mobility.”
The newspaper emphasized: “Students consider dropping out and entering the workforce a win for themselves, while attending classes and studying is seen as a loss.”
