Education in Iran
Education in Iran is highly centralized and is divided to K-12 education and higher education. K-12 education is supervised by the Ministry of Education and higher education is under supervision of Ministry of Science and Technology. 82% of the Iranian adult population is now literate, well ahead of the regional average of 62%. This rate increases to 97% among young adults (aged between 15 and 24) without any gender discrepancy.[1]
Primary school (Dabestan) starts at the age of 6 for a duration of 5 years. Middle school, also known as orientation cycle (Rahnamayi), goes from the sixth to the eighth grade. High school (Dabirestan), for which the last three years is not mandatory, is divided between theoretical, vocational/technical and manual, each program with its own specialties.[2]
Universities, institutes of technology, medical schools and community colleges, provide the higher education. The requirement to enter into higher education is to have a High school diploma, and finally pass the national University entrance's exam (Konkoor). Higher education is sanctioned by different levels of diplomas: Fogh-e-Diplom or Kārdāni after 2 years of higher education, Kārshenāsi (also known under the name “licence”) is delivered after 4 years of higher education (Bachelor's degree). Kārshenāsi-ye Arshad is delivered after 2 more years of study (Master's degree). After which, another exam allows the candidate to pursue a doctoral program (PhD).[2]
[edit] History of education in Iran
[edit] Modern education
The first Western-style public schools were established by Haj-Mirza Hassan Roshdih.
There are both free public schools and private schools in Iran at all levels, from elementary school through university. Education in Iran is highly centralized. The Ministry of Education is in charge of educational planning, financing, administration, curriculum, and textbook development. Teacher training, grading, and examinations are also the responsibility of the Ministry. At the university level, however, every student attending public schools is required to commit to serve the government for a number of years typically equivalent to those spent at the university, or pay it off for a very low price (typically a few hundred dollars). During the early 1970s, efforts were made to improve the educational system by updating school curriculation, introducing modern textbooks, and training more efficient teachers.[3]
The 1979 revolution continued the country's emphasis on education, but Khomeini's regime put its own stamp on the process. The most important change was the Islamization of the education system. All students were segregated by sex. In 1980, the Cultural Revolution Committee was formed to oversee the institution of Islamic values in education. An arm of the committee, the Center for Textbooks (composed mainly of clerics), produced 3,000 new college-level textbooks reflecting Islamic views by 1983.[4] Teaching materials based on Islam were introduced into the primary grades within six months of the revolution.
The Fourth Five-Year Development Plan (2005-2010) envisages upgrading the quality of the educational system at all levels, as well as reforming education curricula, and developing appropriate programs of vocational training, a continuation of the trend towards labor market oriented education and training.[5]
| Age | Level of education (Persian) | Duration | US degree equivalent | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-6 | Pre-primary/Kindergarten | 1 year (K-12) | Optional. 50% of children at that age are enrolled in pre-primary education. | |
| 6-11 | Elementary education/Dabestan | 5 years (K-12) | Although elementary education is free and compulsory, full enrollment in elementary education has not yet been achieved (2004). | |
| 11-14 | Lower-secondary/Rahnamayi | 3 years (K-12) | Middle school/orientation cycle | Mandatory (6-8th grade). The aim of this level of education is to figure out the capabilities and skills of a child so that the education system could guide her or him to the most appropriate track after the end of compulsory education. |
| 14-17 (or older) | Upper-secondary/Dabirestan | 3 years (K-12) | High school diploma (Diplom-Metevaseth) | In Iran, upper-secondary education is NOT compulsory. By 2010, 80% of children aged between 14 and 17 were enrolled. Approximately 6% of upper secondary institutions are private.[6] These schools must conform to the regulations of the Ministry of Education, though they are financed primarily through tuition fees received from students. There are three school types: the theoretical branch, the technical-vocational/professional branch, and the manual skills branch (Kar-Danesh). The latter two prepare students to directly enter the job market in the trading, agricultural, industrial professions. The Kar-Danesh track develops semi-skilled and skilled workers, foremen, and supervisors. Besides, each path has its own specialties (e.g. 'math/physics'; 'experimental sciences' or 'literature/humanities' in the case of the theoretical path). |
| 17-19 (or older) | Technical/Vocational School OR (see below) | 2 years | Baccalaureate (Fogh-e-Diplom or Kārdāni) | Students are able to study two more years in tertiary education, which provides them with the skills to become a highly skilled technician and receive an “integrated associate degree” |
| 17-18 (or older) | Pre-University course | 1 year | National Entrance Examination (Konkoor) | The successful completion of this year earns students the Pre-University Certificate and the right to take the Konkur, or the competitive National Entrance Examination. In 2009: ~11% were admitted (1,278,433 entrants), 60% of which were female[7] |
| 18-22 (or older) | University | 4 years | Bachelor degree (Kārshenāsi or Licence) | Academic year: September through June. Students attend classes Saturday through Thursday. Academic term divided in 2 'semesters' and 'course credits'. Universities receive their budget money from the state, and students normally do not pay for tuition and boarding at these institutions (except for Islamic Azad University). |
| 22-24 (or older) | University | 2 years | Master degree (Kārshenāsi-ye Arshad or Fogh Licence) | Iran hosts some of the most prestigious universities in the Middle East such as Tehran University, Sharif University, and Tarbiat Modares University (all three rank among the top 1,000 universities of the world according to SCImago international rankings). Shiraz University, Isfahan University of Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Tehran, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, and Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran) are other prominent higher education institutes in the country. See also: List of Universities in Iran |
| 24-27 (or older) | Doctoral program | 3 years | PhD. (Karshenasi-arshad-napayvasteh or Doctora) | Students are admitted following an entrance exam. See also: Higher education in Iran. |
| Numeric | Alfa | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 16-20 | A | |
| 14-15 | B | |
| 12-13 | C | |
| 10-11 | D | Pass: GPA above 10 |
| 0-9 | F or 'Fail' | 7 may be considered a passing grade in some individual subjects, while a grade above 10 is required for Persian language. |
| ORIENTATION CYCLE PROGRAM | Weekly hours | ||
| 6th grade | 7th grade | 8th grade | |
| Persian Language and Literature | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Maths | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Natural Sciences | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Religious Education | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| History | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Geography | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Arabic | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Social sciences | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Arts | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Technical/Vocational Education | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Foreign language | - | 4 | 4 |
| Military service preparation (for boys only) | - | - | 1 |
| The Koran | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Total: | 28 | 30 | 31 |
| Source : World Education Services, 2004[6] | |||
[edit] Internet and distance education
Full Internet service is available in all major cities and it is very rapidly increasing. Many small towns and even some villages now have full Internet access. The government aims to provide 10% of government and commercial services via the Internet by end-2008 and to equip every school with computers and connections by the same date.[8]
Payame Noor University (established 1987) as a provider exclusively of distance education courses is a state university under the supervision of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.[9]
[edit] Teacher education
Teacher Training Centers in Iran are responsible for training teachers for primary, orientation cycle, and gifted children’s schools. These centers offer two-year programs leading to a Fogh-Diploma (associate degree). Students that enter Teacher Training Centers, have at minimum, completed the orientation cycle of education; most have a High school diploma. A national entrance examination is required for admission.
In order to teach 9-12 grades, in theory, a bachelor’s degree is required; however due to a shortage of teachers in Iran, schools have been compelled to use teaching staff with other educational backgrounds. Teachers are trained in universities and higher institutes. There are seven teacher-training colleges in Iran.
[edit] Higher education
Iranian universities churn out almost 750,000 skilled graduates annually.[10]
The tradition of university education in Iran goes back to the early centuries of Islam. By the 20th century, however, the system had become antiquated and was remodeled along French lines. The country's 16 universities were closed after the 1979 revolution and were then reopened gradually between 1982 and 1983 under Islamic supervision.
While the universities were closed, the Cultural Revolution Committee investigated professors and teachers and dismissed those who were believers in Marxism, liberalism, and other "imperialistic" ideologies. The universities reopened with Islamic curricula. In 1997, all higher-level institutions had 40,477 teachers and enrolled 579,070 students. The University of Tehran (founded in 1934) has 10 faculties, including a department of Islamic theology. Other major universities are at Tabriz, Mashhad, Ahvaz, Shiraz, Esfahan, Kerman, Kermanshah, Babol Sar, Rasht, and Orumiyeh. There are about 50 colleges and 40 technological institutes.[4]
In 2009, 33.7% of all those in the 18-25 age group were enrolled in one of the 92 universities, 512 Payame Noor University branches, and 56 research and technology institutes around the country. There are currently some 3.7 million university students in Iran and 1.5 million study at the 500 branches of Islamic Azad University.[1] Iran had 1 million medical students in 2011.[11]
| Field of study | 2010 | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering and construction | 31% | One of the highest rates in the world. |
| Social science, business and law | 23% | |
| Humanities and the arts | 14% | |
| Science | 10% |
[edit] Women in education
Women make up more than 60 percent of Iranian university students with some fields in science and engineering having more than 70 percent of their alumni be women.[12] The opportunities for women education and their involvement in higher education has grown exponentially after the Iranian Revolution.[12] According to UNESCO world survey, Iran has the highest female to male ratio at primary level of enrollment in the world among sovereign nations, with a girl to boy ratio of 1.22 : 1.00.[13]
[edit] Schools for Gifted Children
The National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents (NODET), also known as SAMPAD (سمپاد), maintains Middle and High Schools in Iran. These schools were shut down for a few years after the revolution, but later re-opened. Admittance is based on an entrance examination, and is very competitive, especially in Tehran. Their tuition is similar to private schools, but may be partially or fully waived depending on the students financial condition. Some nodet alumni are world leading scientists.
[edit] Organization for Educational Research and Planning (OERP)
OERP is a government affiliated, scientific, learning organization. It has qualitative and knowledge-based curricula consistent with the scientific and research findings, technological, national identity, Islamic and cultural values.
OERP's Responsibilities:
1. To research on the content of the educational,
2. To study and develop simple methods for examinations and educational assessments,
3. To write, edit and print text-books,
4. To identify and provide educational tools and the list of standards for educational tools and equipments,
5. To run pure research on improving the quality and quantity of education,
6. To perform other responsibilities issued by the OERP Council.
[edit] Prominent high schools in Iran: historical and current
In alphabetical order:
- Aboureihan High School
- Alborz High School
- Allameh Helli High Schools (Nodet)
- Allameh Tabatabaei High School
- Bagherol Oloom High School
- Daneshmand High School
- Energy Atomi High School (OTN[disambiguation needed
]) - Farzanegan High Schools (Nodet)
- Firouz Bahram High School
- Hadaf No.3 High School
- Imam Mousa Sadr High School
- Mirza Koochak Khan High School (Nodet)
- Mofid No.1 and No.2 High School
- Nikan High School
- Razi High School
- Salam High Schools (OTN[disambiguation needed ])
- Shahid Beheshti High School, Soheil
- Shahid Ejei High School (Nodet)
- Shahid Soltani High School (Nodet)
- Imam Ali High School (Nodet)
[edit] Statistics
- In 2010, 64% of the country’s population was under the age of 30.[1]
- There are approximately 92,500 public educational institutions at all levels, with a total enrollment of approximately 17,488,000 students.[14]
- According to the CIA World Factbook, from information collected in 2002, 83.5% of males and 70.4% of females over the age of 15 are literate, thus 77% of the population is literate.[15] Virtually all children of the relevant age group enrolled into primary schools in 2008 while enrollment into secondary schools increased from 66% in 1995 to 80% in 2008. As a result, youth literacy rates increased from 86% to 94% over the same period, rising significantly for girls.[16]
- A literacy corps was established in 1963 to send educated conscripts to villages. During its first 10 years, the corps helped 2.2 million urban children and 600,000 adults become literate. This corps was shut down with the Islamic Revolution.[4]
- In 1997, there were 9,238,393 pupils enrolled in 63,101 primary schools, with 298,755 teachers. The student-to-teacher ratio stood at 31 to 1. In that same year, secondary schools had 8,776,792 students and 280,309 teachers. The pupil-teacher ratio at the primary level was 26 to 1 in 1999. In the same year, 83% of primary-school-age children were enrolled in school. As of 1999, public expenditure on education was estimated at 4.6% of GDP (not budget).[4]
- In 2007, majority of students (60%) enrolled in Iranian universities were women.[12]
- According to UNESCO world survey, Iran has the highest female to male ratio at primary level of enrollment in the world among sovereign nations, with a girl to boy ratio of 1.22 : 1.00.[13]
- Each year, 20% of government spending and 5% of GDP goes to education, a higher rate than most other developing countries. 50% of education spending is devoted to secondary education and 21% of the annual state education budget is devoted to the provision of tertiary education.[1]
[edit] See also
- International Rankings of Iran in Education
- Science and technology in Iran
- List of Iranian Research Centers
- Darolfonoon
- Modern Iranian scientists, scholars, and engineers
- Economy of Iran
- Hassan Roshdieh
- Iranian people
- Nodet
- Media in Iran
- Sport in Iran
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d e http://www.thebusinessyear.com/tby_demo//publications.php?art_id=113&type=sector§or=healtheducation
- ^ a b http://www.wes.org/ca/wedb/iran/firedov.htm
- ^ http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Iran-EDUCATION.html
- ^ a b c d "Iran - Education". Powered by JRank Encyclopedia of the Nations. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Iran-EDUCATION.html. Retrieved 2009-07-12.
- ^ "Iran: Country Brief", Development Progress, World Bank, June 2009, http://go.worldbank.org/KQD2RP3RX0, retrieved 2009-07-12
- ^ a b [1]
- ^ "Education in Iran - Part I". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdzrPFAOGug. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ "Telecoms And Technology Forecast for Iran", Economist Intelligence Unit, August 18, 2008
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20070614023343/http://www.austrade.gov.au/Education-and-training-to-Iran/default.aspx
- ^ http://en.tpo.ir/UserFiles/File/Annual1383e.pdf
- ^ http://www.presstv.com/Program/212258.html
- ^ a b c http://www.payvand.com/news/03/nov/1133.html
- ^ a b http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/edu_gir_to_boy_rat_pri_lev_enr-boys-ratio-primary-level-enrolment
- ^ http://www.wes.org/ca/wedb/iran/iredov.htm
- ^ "Iran", CIA World Factbook, 2002, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html
- ^ http://www.tehrantimes.com/index.php/economy-and-business/2830-subsidy-plan-reduces-poverty-and-income-disparities-in-iran-world-bank
[edit] External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Education in Iran |
- Education, Encyclopedia Iranica
- Annual Reviews - Reports by the Central Bank of Iran, including statistics about education in Iran.
- Ministry of Education website
- Ministry of Health and Medical Education - Iran
- Education & Training in Iran - Australian Trade
- World Education Services - Iran's entry
- Statistical center of Iran
- OERP's official website
- Videos
- Education in Iran - Part I Part II Part III (Documentary)
- PressTV report on Iranian female inventors
