NON-STATE ACTORS IN EDUCATION
2.2 Non-state education provision
3.1 Regulations by distinct levels of education
- Early childhood care and education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
- Primary and secondary education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
- Tertiary education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
3.3 Supplementary private tutoring
Iran’s Constitution (1979) does not mention private sector, but it does mention faith-based organisations, including the official religion of Iran and other minority religions which play a role in religious education. In addition, Article 2 of the Law on the Establishment and Administration of Non-Governmental Schools and Educational Centers (2006) states schools, educational centers (e.g., cultural, educational and sports centre, or a student camp) and non-governmental educational centers (e.g., technical and vocational school, or foreign language school) can be run by natural or legal persons (educational institutions, educational cooperatives, public non-governmental institutions with cultural and educational functions) or can partner with the government in accordance with the goals, rules and general instructions of the Ministry of Education. Further, Iran has the Law on Private Educational Institutions and Non-profit Institutions (2005) which refers to basic education, and a by-law which refers to the establishment of non-governmental and non-profit higher education institutions (adopted by the High Council of the Cultural Revolution in October 1985). However, access to these legislations were not available.
2.1 State education provision
State schools
Compulsory education in Iran is comprised of 9 years which includes primary education (from age of 6 for a duration of 5 years) and secondary education (from the age of 12 for a duration of 3 years). Both pre-school education (from age of 4) and upper secondary education (from age of 15 for a duration of 3 years) is not compulsory although education is free up to upper secondary education. All schools are single-sex, and among the public schools are 'Nemoneh Mardomi' schools which are public and require an entrance exam. No data was available on the size of the public sector.
Non-state managed, state schools
No information was found.
Non-state funded, state schools
No information was found.
2.2 Non-state education provision
Independent, non-state schools
Private schools in Iran can be established by non-state actors although they are administered by the Ministry of Education and are financed by parents and by donations from other non-state actors. About 11.7% (2017) of primary school enrolment are in private education, and evidence from 2020 suggest there were 16,700 non-state schools although data on the share of different types of private institutions and whether these refer to independent and/or state-funded private schools could not be found. While it is unclear of the different types of private schools, there are international schools.
State-funded (government-aided), non-state schools
Semiprivate schools also exist in Iran which are owned by qualified individuals and receive most of their funding from parents as well as some subsidies from the government for the purchase of land, buildings, construction, equipment and the maintenance of non-state schools (Art. 11).
Contracted, non-state schools
No information was found.
2.3 Other types of schools
Homeschooling
In Iran, evidence indicates that homeschooling exists in the country. Information on the extent that it is used or legal documents could not be found.
Market contracted (Voucher schools)
No information was found.
Unregistered/Unrecognised schools
Evidence indicates that unlicensed schools, which require tuition fees, exist that cater to refugees from Afghanistan as they cannot access public education without a residency permits. However, as of May 2015 all schools should accept Afghan children although tuition fees are charged (Box 4.5, p. 63)
Education in Iran is centralised, and the Ministry of Education is responsible for state and non-state education from pre-primary to secondary education, and its responsibilities include: “monitoring standards, organising teacher training, developing curricula and educational materials, and building and maintaining schools”.
Early childhood care and education (ECCE) and higher education are the responsibility of different ministries: the State Welfare Organisation of Iran, and the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME).
Vision: Iran has various legislations which refer to non-state actors, such as the Law on the Establishment and Administration of Non-Governmental Schools and Educational Centers (2006, amended in 2008) and the Law on Private Educational Institutions and Non-profit Institutions (2005). However, while Article 44 of Iran’s Constitution refers to the private sector as supplementing the economic activities of the state and cooperative sector, it is not clear whether this refers to education activities.
3.1 Regulations by distinct levels of education
In Iran, early childhood care and education (ECCE) refers to kindergartens which include programs for children 3 months old to 4 years-old and to pre-primary education which refers to education for 4-6 year-olds. The responsibility of both of these groups are shared with the State Welfare Oganisation for the youngest children and the Ministry of Education. Most kindergartens are private while there are 30,000 non-governmental preschools.
Registration and approval: No information was found.
Licence: The Ministry of Education is the only authority able to license pre-primary institutions and programs, and they must implement plans in line with the license. Additional requirements include a maximum of 5 days a week with an estimate 3.5 hours of daily activity.
Profit-making: No information was found.
Taxes and subsidies: See Multi-level regulations.
Quality of teaching and learning
pre-primary education exist and approved by the 77th session of the Supreme Council on Education. In addition, standards for private programs in ECCE are set by the State Welfare Organisation for kindergartens and by the Ministry of Education for pre-primary education.
Teaching profession: Teachers in ECCE must have a high school diploma or above, complete pre-service training, and receive a certification from either Jahad Daneshgahi Organization (Iran’s official training organization) or the State Welfare Organization. They must have taken and passed “courses in first aid skills, play and movement, psychology and child development, education of religious and social concepts, common diseases in children, storytelling techniques for children, and children's emotional and behavioral disorders”. Teachers at this level must also be willing to teach the Quan although teachers from religious minorities are exempted.
Evidence indicates that pre-primary school teachers work minimum weekly hours and employers are not required to follow the Department of Labor regulations, such as a minimum wage or insurance provisions.
Fee-setting: See Multi-level regulations.
Admission selection and processes: No information was found.
Policies for vulnerable groups: See Multi-level regulations.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Reporting requirements: See Multi-level regulations.
Inspection: See Multi-level regulations.
Child assessment: No information found.
Sanctions: See Multi-level regulations.
Registration and approval: No information was found.
Licence: See Multi-level regulations.
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH): No information was found.
Profit-making: No information was found.
Taxes and subsidies: See Multi-level regulations.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: The “Fundamental Reform Document of Education” (FRDE, 2011) states the important role religion plays within the education system although no specific curriculum or education standards were found. Together with families, state and non-state organisations, the Ministry of Education is responsible for ensuring the promotion of Islamic principles and values as derived from the Quan. See Multi-level regulations for more informaiton.
Textbooks and learning materials: See Multi-level regulations.
Teaching profession: See Multi-level regulations.
Corporal punishment: No information was found.
Other safety measures and Covid-19: As a response to COVID-19 pandemic, no changes regarding homeschooling were found. However, the Ministry of Education developed a distance learning application for all students although it is not clear if students in non-state schools were also able to access this learning application.
Fee-setting: See Multi-level regulations.
Admission selection and processes: No information was found.
Policies for vulnerable groups: See Multi-level regulations.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
School board: No information was found.
Reporting requirements: See Multi-level regulations.
School inspection: See Multi-level regulations.
Student assessment: No information was found.
Diplomas and degrees: No information was found.
Sanctions: See Multi-level regulations.
Iran has 37 private, non-govermental and non-profit universities and higher education institutions, and 307 private higher education institutions. There are 85 public universities. Higher education institutions is the responsibility of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (MSRT), which oversees subjects, such as Basic Sciences, Human Sciences, Engineering, Art, Agriculture; and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME), which oversees the integration of the delivery of health services and medical education, all medical universities and the Clinical courses.
Registration and approval: No information was found.
Licence: See Multi-level regulations.
Profit-making: It seems that higher education are non-profit institutions, but no regulation was found regarding the profit status of tertiary institutions.
Taxes and subsidies: See Multi-level regulations.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: While specific information on regulations related to tertiary education were not found, the government does maintain some oversight over degree programs, such as the case of the semi-private Islamic Azad University (IAU).
Teaching profession: See Multi-level regulations.
Fee-setting: See Multi-level regulations.
Admission selection and processes: No information was found.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Board: No information was found.
Reporting requirements: See Multi-level regulations.
Inspection: See Multi-level regulations.
Assessment: To enter tuition free public university, a competitive university entrance examination, known as the Konkur or Concours, must be taken. Private universities also use this assessment for admission purposes.
Diplomas and degrees: Degrees awarded by private tertiary institutions are equal to public education institutions and are recognized by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.
Sanctions: See Multi-level regulations.
3.2 Multi-level regulations
This section includes the relevant information from the Law on the Establishment and Administration of Non-Governmental Schools and Educational Centers (2006, amended 2008) and the non-government organization law.
Licence: The Ministry of Education is the only authority able to provide a licence and the Central Policy, Planning and Supervision Council confirms the qualifications of those wanting to establish a non-state school (Art. 5). A school can be established by a legal person, and religious education can be carried out by different religious minorities, including Iranian Zoroastrians, Jewish and Christian (Art. 13 of the Constitution). To establish a non-state school or education centre, the following requirements must be met: citizenship of the Islamic Republic of Iran, at least 30 years-old, at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, belief and commitment to Islam, adherence to the Constitution and Velayat-e-Faqih, and if a man, married. The applicant cannot have a criminal record or be affiliated with the previous regime or a deviant or illegal group (Art. 8). The Ministry of Education can receive 2 million Rials from each applicant, and the ministry can change this amount every 3 years. The license is valid for a maximum of 2 years.
Taxes and subsidies: The Ministry of Education can lease or sell excess land and buildings to non-state schools although they are subject to public access to public schools, and any sale or lease is done with the cooperation of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance (Art. 12). In addition, banks through the Law on Interest Free Banking can support non-state owners by providing loans or bank credit to support the financial needs of non-state school owners or education centre owners (Art. 10). Annual subsidies are provided to non-state schools for the purchase of land, buildings, construction, equipment and the maintenance of non-state schools (Art. 11).
The Ministry of Education must create a “Support Fund for the Development of Non-governmental Schools” which is a public, non-governmental organization that support non-state school owners in vulnerable areas by providing funding for students (Art.13).
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: Education programs set by non-state schools and education centres must be in accordance with the legislations set by the Ministry of Education (Art. 30).
Textbooks and learning material: Textbooks and assessments of non-state schools and education centers must be in accordance with the regulations set by the Ministry of Education (Art. 30).
Teaching profession: Teachers and school staff from non-state schools are trained in public institutions, such as teacher training centers, and they must complete in-service training which is paid by non-state school owners (Art. 27). Article 24 suggests that non-state schools can decide on the salaries and benefits of its staff. Further, the Labor law (1989) does not mention teachers but includes all workers in “all institutions which require work related to a workplace, such as…nursery schools, kindergartens,…literacy classes and other educational centers…” (Art. 4).
Fee-setting: The Central Policy, Planning and Supervision Council is responsible for creating a model to determine the tuition of non-state schools and educational centers (Art. 5), and the non-state school or educational center owner must announce and approve the annual tuition fee (At. 16). Non-state schools receive funding from tuition fees, support from the Ministry of Education and other non-governmental organisations in coordination with the Ministry of Education. They do not receive funding from individuals or charities (Art. 14). Fees are set according to “the course of study, level of education, program of education, activities, extracurricular programs, physical space and equipment and regional conditions and rates official inflation by the central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran” (Art. 15).
Policies for vulnerable groups: Non-state schools and education centers are required to register students who are unable to pay tuition fees through government funding (Art. 29).
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Reporting requirements: The Ministry of Education requires schools and education centers to provide information annually on their financial performance to the Parent and Teachers Association. They must also share all revenues and expenses in cases of inspection (Art. 18) and report annually to the Central Policy, Planning and Supervision Council, if schools and centers receive state resources (Art. 29).
Inspection: The Central Policy, Planning and Supervision Council and the provincial, city and regional supervisory council monitor non-state schools and education centers, and their performance (Art. 3 and 5). The Central Policy, Planning and Supervision Council also submits annual performance evaluation reports of schools to the Education, Research and Technology Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Art. 5).
Sanctions: The Central Policy, Planning and Supervision Council is responsible for a system for registering complaints and violations of the performance of non-state schools and education centers (Art. 5).
While information on how a school or education center can be closed was not found, certain articles within the Law on the Establishment and Administration of Non-Governmental Schools and Educational Centers refer to the closure of schools and centers. For example, the decision to close non-state schools or centers requires owners to address issues of facilities and bank loans (Art. 32). In addition, the violations undertaken by a director or owner of a non-state school or education center can lead to the temporary closure of the school or center from 1 to 3 years, or the withdrawal of the licence to operate and closing of the school permanently (Art. 35).
Teachers and staff in non-state schools and education centers found to be in violation of the regulations are investigated by the competent authority, such as the Administrative Violations Boards. Penalties can include a written notice, reprimand that is integrated into their file, denied appointment to management positions for up to 3 years, denied employment in schools and education centres for up to 3 years, and denied employment in schools and centers permanently (Art. 34).
3.3 Supplementary private tutoring
Statistics and evidence on private tuition in Iran was not found although education centres are regulated under the Law on the Establishment and Administration of Non-Governmental Schools and Educational Centers (2006, amended 2008).
Financial operation and quality
