Education in Iran: Limitations Imposed by Theocracy

Abstract

Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the shift to a fully theocratic state radically changed society, including the structure, culture, and intellectual focus of education. Under clerical “guardianship of the jurisprudent,†curriculum at all levels became a tool for political and ideological propaganda, with as much as 25% of the day devoted to Shi’ite religious instruction. Systematic changes completely reversed any hint of modernization from pre-revolutionary days, institutionalizing a significant discriminatory bias throughout society. Religious minorities are sanctioned and systematically harassed with impunity. The Islamization of education included forced conformity of all courses of study and textbooks to Shi’ite rules and values, suppression of any non-Shi’ite beliefs or historical context, the institution of religious loyalty tests for teachers and students, and mandatory segregation of schools by gender. Despite almost equal attainment at every educational level, massive educational inequities persist for women, who are officially excluded from many high-paying technical fields. Rigid theocratic control ultimately limits attempts to modernize or democratize education and any associated opportunities. Public criticism is guarded at best, due to the risk of reprisal, but many Iranians privately acknowledge a growing pressure for reform.