Official language of instruction in Iran is Farsi/Persian.

English and/or French are

taught in most private schools.

Classes start at 7.30 a.m. and finish around 1 p.m. When she arrives, she joins lots of
other girls playing in the school yard. Some are bright and full of energy, others are
sleepy. There are no boys around. In Iran, all schools are single-sex.

The education system in Iran is divided into two main levels: primary education and
high-school education. All children spend six years of their lives at primary level from
ages six to 12 and attend high school from ages 12 to 18. Primary education is
compulsory in Iran. There are many free public schools as well as private schools with
high tuition fees. There are also schools called 'Nemuneh Mardomi', which are believed
to be better than public schools and more affordable than private schools.

Getting into one of these well-known Nemuneh Mardomi schools is tough. All schools
have an entrance exam to identify the best students, and the competition for places can
be intense. Not surprisingly, this can be a stressful time for students and parents alike.

In addition to the entrance exam, there is a national exam at the end of primary school
based on the school subjects. These include mathematics, science, Persian literature,
social sciences, and theology. The results of the exams are not determined by
numerical scores but use the terms 'excellent', 'good', 'satisfactory' and 'needs further
improvement'. For parents, the entrance exam is even more important than the national
exam, because they believe that getting their children into a good school will secure a
bright future for their children. For this reason, most teachers are strict about setting lots
of supplementary books for students to work on preparation for both exams, in addition
to the books they study at school.

Other subjects studied at Iranian schools include art, sports, work and technology,
thinking and research and, most importantly, study of the Quran, the holy book. These
subjects also form part of the school curriculum.

Parents don’t like an educational system where the students come home with no
homework, no dictation practice. They would like to see children doing extra practice on
what they have learned at school. There are plenty of published supplementary books
out there in the market, which parents buy. Children needs to work hard to get to a
good school and be successful in the future.'

parents view education as a whole in Iran. It is highly competitive, and parents spend a
lot of time and money on their children’s education. Another example of this is the
university entrance exam Konkur; parents often forego holidays and don’t attend family
or social engagements because their child is preparing for the exam. This has been
coined as a Konkur quarantine.

In Iran, therefore, both primary and secondary school students work hard to reach the
next level of education.

Primary school is called “Dabestan” and includes grades 1 to 5 (ages 6 to 11). At the
end of the 5th year, students take a nation-wide exam which they must pass in order to
continue to the next cycle.

Middle school is called Rahnamaei also known as Lower Secondary School

(Guidance) and includes grades 6 to 8 (ages 11 to 14). At the end of the 3rd year of
middle school, students take a region-wide exam administered by the local provisional
board of education which they must pass in order to continue to the next cycle.

Secondary school is called Dabirestan and includes grades 9 to 12 (ages 14 to 17). The
4th year of grade 12 includes a college-preparatory year known as Pish-daneshgahi. In
dabirestan, students choose subjects from either one of two tracks: 1)
academic/general track that includes a] physics-mathematics, b] socio-economics, c]
literature and culture, and d] experimental sciences; or 2) technical/vocational track in
such areas as business and agriculture. On completion of 3 years of study (Grade 11),
students receive their diploma before they are determined eligible to continue onto the
12th year (Grade 12) pish-daneshgahi studies.

According to 2015 estimates, the literacy rates of total population age 15 and over is
86.8% of which 92.1% are male and 82.5% are female.

According to 2013 reports, Iran spends 3.7 of GDP on education.

Starting with 7th grade, English is taught as a second language in all public schools
and is compulsory through the secondary level years.

Education System Overview:

 According to Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA), the education

system in Iran changed in 2013 from 5 (primary), 3 (middle school) 4
 (high school and pre-university) to 6 (primary school) and 6 (high
school).

 Primary school – Primary education is divided into two three-year

cycles: primary school one and primary school two. After each cycle,
students will receive a certificate of completion if they pass the final
exam of that cycle. All children spend six years of their lives at
primary level from ages 6 to 12 and attend high school from ages 12
to 18.

 High school – Secondary education is divided into two three-year

cycles: high school one and high school two. After each cycle,
students will receive a certificate of completion if they pass the final
exam of that cycle. Education until the end of high school one or
grade 9 is compulsory, and in the public school system, free. High
school two or upper secondary education is not compulsory, but is
free at public schools. In high school two, students are segmented into
three fields (or streams) of the education system: academic (Nazari),
technical (Fani Herfei), and vocational/skills (Kar-danesh). A
student’s stream is dependent primarily on his or her examination
results at the end of the lower secondary cycle (high school one), and
to a lesser extent on student preference. The academic stream has
traditionally been the most popular.

 Pre-University: The pre-university year is a preparatory year for

students who plan to take Iran’s standardized university entrance
examinations, the Konkur (or Concours), required for admission into
most university programs. The pre-university year originally evolved
prior to 2012, and will eventually be incorporated into the new 12-
year 6+3+3 system, so that graduates can sit for entrance
examinations without first completing an additional year of pre-
university study. For now, however, the additional year is still a
 requirement for anyone who wants to sit for the Konkur. According to
Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), pre-university will be
removed from the education system in Iran in the academic year of
2018-2019.

 Military Service in Iran - Once male students complete their

secondary education, they are required to serve in the Iranian military
for two years. They can defer this while studying, but have to pay a
bond in order to leave Iran for their studies.

More facts about Iran’s Education System:

 Academic Year Calendar: September-June

 Language of Instruction: Persian/Farsi, English and Arabic as a
second language
 Years of Mandatory English Courses in primary an: 6 years
o English language starts from high school (grade 7)
 Name of School Leaving Exams:
o Azmoon nahaai – Certificate of Competition of Secondary
Education or/and Certificate of Completion of Pre-University in
Farsi from Ministry of Education, or State Exam Authority &
English Translation
 Top Fields of Study/Majors: Engineering, Sciences, Business
 Standardized Testing Available in Iran: TOEFL, IELTS, GRE,

Structure of University System:

 Years of Study Required to Earn a Bachelor’s Degree: 4 years

 Language of Instruction in Universities: Persian/Farsi
 Years of Required English Instruction in Universities: 2 years
 Grading System and Interpretation: Same as Secondary School
grading system
 Degrees Offered: Kardani/Fogh Diplom (2 years), Karshenasi (4
years), Karshenasi Arshad, Doctora, and Fogh-Doctora