new academic year; From administrative violation committees to teacher dismissals

new academic year; From administrative violation committees to teacher dismissals

Report by Atfe Chaharmahalian

This year, the beginning of the academic school year in Iran takes place in a situation where the public education system is facing ongoing crises and increasing pressure on teachers and families; From the lack of teachers, overcrowding in classrooms and the wear and tear of schools to the increase in the number of children left out of school and the increase in economic and security pressures.

On the eve of the 1405-1406 school year, the coordinating council of the education unions spoke about a shortage of at least 100,000 teachers and warned of its consequences for the quality of education.

A number of teachers are unable to return to school because they are in jail instead of in the classroom, some are serving their sentences, some are awaiting judicial proceedings and some have open cases and are suspended from their jobs. The report of the Coordinating Council of the Unions of Cultural Organizations of Iran from the academic year 1404-1405 shows that the pressure on the teachers went beyond arrest and included subpoenas, submission of new cases, trial and issuance of a court order, in addition to dismissals, termination of service, forced retirement and withholding of salaries.