Rezvan Hakimzadeh, Deputy for Elementary Education at the Iranian regime’s Ministry of Education, has stated that students suffering from “learning poverty” mostly come from low-income families and that their learning deficiencies need to be addressed.
The current situation in the education sector is a result of Iran’s educational policies, which, according to experts, have contributed to class divisions in education. In this context, Ali Jafari-Azar, a representative of Tabriz in the Iranian regime’s Majlis (parliament), has reported on the existence of “23 types of public schools.” He stated that the existence of these 23 types of schools has not benefited society and has instead created multiple negative effects, making the situation indefensible.
According to the state-run ISNA news agency, Hakimzadeh emphasized that nationwide learning assessment statistics indicate that a significant number of elementary school students require additional effort in fundamental subjects.
Hakimzadeh stressed that elementary education should focus on the comprehensive development and holistic growth of students.
In November 2024, Hakimzadeh also stated that 40% of children entering school suffer from “learning poverty.”
This Ministry of Education official also stated on February 5 that nearly 169,000 Iranian children have been deprived of elementary education, pointing to various challenges within Iran’s educational system.
Ali Rabiei, the Iranian regime president’s social affairs aide, also stated on February 5 that nearly 49% of child laborers and street children in Iran have been deprived of education.
Experts believe that poverty and the financial needs of low-income households have driven a large portion of students into the labor market instead of continuing their education.
Jafari-Azar told the state-run Tasnim news agency that the diversity of public schools has several disadvantages. He noted that up until 25 years ago, there was only one type of public school, but later, due to a shortage of educational facilities, private and non-profit schools also began operating.
According to some experts, in addition to educational policies, economic policies have also weakened the education system and discouraged students from continuing their studies.
In this regard, the Shargh newspaper, in a report dated September 22, 2024, addressed this issue, stating: “Education has lost its economic function. Until 20 or even 10 years ago, education was the best opportunity for advancement and social mobility. However, today, a person with higher education cannot achieve upward social mobility.”
The newspaper emphasized that “students consider dropping out of school and entering the labor market as a win for themselves, while studying and spending hours in the classroom is seen as a loss.”
Data published by the Statistical Center of Iran also indicates that nearly one million students were unable to continue their education in the last academic year, with economic hardships being the primary reason for this phenomenon.
