Iran to change school textbook content on Khamenei’s orders

Iranian students wearing mask are seen in school after Ministry of Education of Iran plans the opening of schools and education to be done remotely in some schools according to the coronavirus (Covid-19) risk level in Tehran, Iran on September 05, 2020. [ Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency ]

Iran is to change the content of 200 school textbooks over the coming academic year on the order of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, FARS news agency has reported.

“These changes will be made by the professors at the Farhangian teacher training university and some by the country’s educational research and planning organisation for students from grades 1 to 12,” explained Education Minister Yousef Nouri on Wednesday. The changes will be made for next year, as this year’s books are already being printed. The school year in Iran is scheduled to begin on 24 September.

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Last May, Khamenei said that content that is not practical and does not benefit students should be removed. In the past few years, though, the removal of material from school textbooks has become a controversial issue. The addition of political content or announcements about controversial Iranian military programmes in textbooks has gained momentum.

Changing the content of school books has been a lifelong issue for Khamenei. He has expressed concern about their content many times and called for them to be revised.

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