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.