In ongoing protests over the selection process for student-teachers and candidates in Iran’s Ministry of Education, some applicants report being rejected based on non-professional reasons, such as reading philosophy books, their style of dress, having a mustache, wearing nail polish, missing prayers, or having minimal attendance at Friday prayers or rallies.
Having interactions with classmates of the opposite sex, liking Instagram pages, not wearing the chador, and visible hair are other reasons cited that have led to these individuals being denied education or teaching positions.
The Shargh news website, run by the regime, reported on Sunday, October 27, in a piece titled “Unprofessional Selection,” that several applicants and student-teachers have protested the Ministry of Education’s selection process, though their grievances have gone unanswered.
Strange Reasons for Rejection in the Selection Process
One rejected candidate stated that this year, “Code Six,” an unexplained addition to the Teacher Recruitment Exam, was introduced and led to their disqualification.
Another candidate explained to Shargh that they were rejected under “Code 19,” which pertains to political issues, dress code, hijab, not participating in elections, and liking Instagram pages. “Many candidates were told they were disqualified due to Code 19. I was rejected for the same reason.”
Mohammad Heydari-Verjani, former secretary of the Islamic Association at Rajaei Teacher Training University, said that a student was told during the selection process, “Because of your mustache style, you have a Marxist appearance in our opinion, and you are disqualified.”
According to Heydari, a female student studying at Sari University was rejected on the first day of selection because she once crossed from the women’s section to the men’s section for a university association program.
In its report, Shargh described the rejection of an Isfahani student for reading philosophy books as the most bizarre action taken in the selection process. Citing Heydari, the report stated that the student was told, “You read philosophy books, and in our view, people who read too many books have psychological issues,” leading to their expulsion with “psychological problems” noted in their record.
A teacher with 18 years of experience, who has faced selection issues multiple times, told Shargh, “In the Education Ministry’s selection process, interviewers and experts start probing the candidate’s religious and political beliefs from the very beginning.”
This teacher noted that during the hiring phase, candidates are evaluated on things like the type of pants they wear, the length of their shirt sleeves, liking posts on social media, performing daily prayers, the number of prayer units (rak’ahs) and supplications, and participation in rallies and religious events. “This certainly does not suffice to assess their capability.”
He added, “Sometimes in the selection process, even attire in family gatherings is questioned. No reasonable standard accepts such inquiries for employment.”
The teacher pointed to questions of belief during selection, stating, “Beyond belief-related issues, interviewers sometimes insist so strongly on candidates expressing certain political inclinations that out of fear of saying something contrary to their political views, individuals may falsely declare insincere political tendencies.”
In January, the Coordinating Council of Teacher Trade Unions reported that around 3,000 to 6,000 candidates were rejected on political and religious grounds in Iran’s Education Ministry recruitment exams in 2023.
Alireza Kazemi, the Education Minister under regime President Massoud Pezeshkian, said on September 9 that “sensitivity” must be shown in the recruitment of teachers and school administrators and that “all teachers should possess precise scientific and moral profiles.”
Since the autumn of 2022, following the nationwide uprising that year, dozens of teachers have been suspended or permanently dismissed by the Ministry of Education’s Disciplinary Board for professional activities and support of revolutionary movements.
