In recent years, the Iranian regime has come under international scrutiny for its increasingly repressive policies, particularly concerning the country’s students and children. The Iranian regime, known for its authoritarian approach to governance, has been criticized for implementing measures that not only curtail the freedom of expression and thought among its young population but also seek to indoctrinate youth with its fundamentalist ideological framework.
Iran’s education system has historically been a battleground where political and ideological interests have clashed. The regime has intensified its efforts to control the content of textbooks, curricula, and classroom activities. These changes go beyond the traditional boundaries of education, serving as tools for the regime to shape the minds of young Iranians in accordance with its ideology.
One of the most troubling aspects of the regime’s policies is the introduction of propaganda aimed at glorifying extremist ideologies and suppressing dissenting voices. This not only stifles critical thinking but also tries to steer the thinking of a generation of young students toward fundamentalism. Moreover, censorship has become commonplace in Iranian schools, with the regime monitoring and restricting access to information, including online resources, to ensure that students are exposed only to government-approved content.
The Iranian regime’s treatment of students and children extends beyond the classroom. Reports of widespread human rights abuses, including arbitrary arrests, detention, and even torture of young activists, have raised alarm. Many students and children who express dissenting views or engage in peaceful protests find themselves facing harsh consequences, often robbing them of their right to a free and fair education.
Furthermore, the regime has taken disturbing steps to infiltrate and control student organizations, ensuring that they align with its political agenda. This intrusion into the realm of student associations erodes the independence of these groups and suppresses any potential for democratic activism on university campuses.
Rezamorad Sahrai, the Minister of Education, recently unveiled an extensive overhaul of Iranian schools, aiming to usher in a “transformation” in education. Sahrai disclosed that this year alone, 20,000 school principals have been replaced as part of this transformative effort. Furthermore, an additional seven thousand schools have been identified to undergo what this government official referred to as the “transformation,” with the goal of implementing desired changes in an additional 5,000 schools by year-end.
Approximately a decade ago, the regime introduced the concept of the “fundamental transformation of education” as a means to educate Iranian children and adolescents in alignment with the government’s ideological policies. According to this directive, students in Iranian schools are expected to be acquainted with concepts such as “anti-arrogance,” “self-sacrifice,” “defending the values of the Islamic Revolution,” and fostering a “Velayat-e Faghih-friendly” generation.
Regime authorities have repeatedly affirmed that the primary objective of education is to mold “soldiers of the new Islamic civilization.” Over the past years, textbooks have been altered to align with the goals outlined in the fundamental transformation document. Moreover, many individuals employed as educators and trainers in the educational sector have undergone scrutiny by security institutions. Additionally, a substantial number of seminary students have been placed in schools, ostensibly to create employment opportunities and to influence students with the regime’s ideology.
While the regime believed that at least half of its initiatives aimed at “training the soldiers of Islamic civilization” had been successful, the nationwide uprising in 2022 emerged following the tragic death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the regime’s Guidance Patrol. This uprising shattered the regime’s illusions.
Thousands of students joined the protests, staging gatherings, and removing images of Khamenei and Khomeini from textbooks, leading to the arrests of a considerable number of protesters under the age of 18. These events underscored the fact that teenagers not only do not support the regime, but actively oppose it.
The regime’s renewed efforts to tighten its grip on schools and students began during this period. Regime officials have since consistently announced extensive changes in textbooks and teacher selections.
Yusef Nouri, the former Minister of Education, stated last year that, in accordance with the directives of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the regime, the content of 200 textbooks would be revised. The current Minister of Education has now announced that over 50 textbooks will undergo changes in the upcoming school year.
This revision of textbooks will persist until it aligns with Khamenei’s desired vision. Even a cursory examination of these textbooks reveals that the regime has deliberately transformed schools into ideological and political strongholds to ensure its survival.
Promoting the goals of the Islamic revolution, propagating superstitions, endorsing child marriage and early labor, advocating violence, emphasizing hijab, and lionizing regime loyalists like the now-dead former Quds Force commander Ghasem Soleimani while vilifying Israel and fostering enmity with the West are prevailing themes in school textbooks across various education levels.
According to the Minister of Education, the regime’s ambitions to exert influence over students extend beyond textbook alterations, teacher appointments, and student recruitment. The ministry has devised additional programs in this direction, with the “revolutionary hard-core students” organizations playing a pivotal role.
In a recent address, Rezamorad Sahrai called upon this group of students to engage in “effective” activities, fostering collaboration and organizational efforts. Addressing members of Islamic Student Associations, he acknowledged the difficulties they face in “defending values” and, consequently, urged them to exercise “patience.”
Education in Iran is a sovereign institution. Although it operates within the regime’s legal framework, its objectives and policies are determined by the Supreme Leader of the regime. In recent years, the IRGC has recruited students in schools under the guise of “Student Mobilization.” It now appears that this governing body intends to further invest in peer group influence, entrusting this mission to “revolutionary hard-core students.”
Sahrai acknowledged this in his recent speech, asserting that “in educational systems, this system of co-education is the best.” He called upon the students tasked with this mission to lay the groundwork for this effort and carry it forward.
Using students to advance the regime’s ideological and political goals contradicts the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, which explicitly prohibits governments from exploiting children for political and religious purposes. Furthermore, this convention upholds children’s rights to freedom of speech and religion while prioritizing their best interests in all matters.
