Iran’s Education Minister Alireza Kazemi has revealed that nearly 950,000 children are deprived of education in the country, underscoring a deepening crisis in the education sector. Speaking to ILNA, Kazemi acknowledged that official system records confirm these figures, while dismissing claims by some officials that the number exceeds two million.
The minister identified economic and social pressures, family hardships, and inadequate infrastructure as the main drivers of school dropouts. While he denied that most children leave school for work, reports from state-run outlets, including Donya-e-Eqtesad, cite child labor and household financial struggles as key reasons. A July 2024 report from Iran’s Statistics Center also indicated rising dropout rates among elementary and lower secondary students compared to the previous year.
Experts warn of a decline in education quality due to overcrowded classrooms, lack of preschool coverage, and language gaps in bilingual areas.
Kazemi himself admitted that “academic decline” is multi-causal, adding that teachers face impossible conditions. University data shows that only 70% of Iranian students entering elementary school graduate from high school, with nearly a third leaving early to join the labor market.Conflicting reports — ranging from 950,000 to 2 million students out of school — highlight the severity of Iran’s education crisis, which critics say cannot be solved through denial. Analysts stress that without systemic reforms, the cycle of poverty, child labor, and educational decline will continue to undermine the country’s future.
