Iranian Education
Educational System
Over half of Iran’s population is younger than 25, so more than 18 million children are of school age. Education is free and compulsory between the ages of 6 and 17. However, parents who choose to send their children to private high schools must pay $1,100 to $5,000 per year. There are 5 years of primary school, 3 years of middle school, 3 years of secondary school, and 1 year of pre-university study. Students have to take a national exam at the end of primary school and a regional exam at the end of middle school. Secondary schools teach academics (literature and culture, socioeconomic studies, math and physics, and experimental sciences) and other skills (technical, business and vocational, and agricultural). Students have to take a national exam at the end of each year of secondary education. They have to earn 96 credits in order to graduate. If students want to go to college, they have to attend one year of pre-university study, after which they must take a national entrance exam. If they fail the exam, they cannot go to college. The public universities are among the most prestigious in western Asia. Tuition is free but they only accept the highest achieving students.
School Day
There are separate schools for boys and girls. We attend school six days a week, Friday through Saturday; however, some schools have Thursday off. Parents can bring their children to school or pay for private transportation. Some students take taxis or public buses. The school day generally lasts from 7:30-2:30. Classes are one and a half hours, with a fifteen minute break in between. Islam is taught in schools, as is Arabic, which is necessary for reading the Qur’an. All other classes are taught in Farsi. Competition is high. Many students participate in science and math Olympics.
Student-Teacher Relationship
The relationship between students and teachers is very friendly and educational. Groups of 30 students stay in one room for all of their classes for the year, while the teachers move from class to class. The law prevents teachers from using corporal punishment.
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