Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
Children officially start pre-primary education at the age of five. In 2020, the net enrolment rate for pre-primary education for both sexes was 59.81%.
Governance
Pre-primary education is financed by the Ministry of Education.
Tuition-free status
State schools (public pre-primary schools) are tuition-free and fully funded by the Ministry of Education.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
As the education system in Iran is centralised, there are no financing mechanisms which transfer resources from the central government to local governments.
2. Education resources to institutions
There are no subsidies allocated to public pre-primary institutions, which include equity-target funding. However, since 2011, UNICEF has been collaborating with the Ministry of Education of Iran on a pilot project for the provision of one-year compulsory pre-primary education in the country’s most disadvantaged areas.
3. Education resources to students and families
Pre-primary education in Iran is not compulsory, and public schools are free. The Ministry of Education does not provide additional financial support to families.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
In Iran, no social policies outside the Ministry of Education provide financial support for pre-primary education. Broader welfare programmes exist but are not linked to preschool education.
