Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, August 31, 2015
Pre-school preparation programs for non-Persian children have been organized in all provinces.
Before the start of the new school year in Iran, it was reported that 9,000 non-Persian children in Tehran province are preparing for one-month classes in Farsi as part of preparation programs for non-Persian pre-school children.
These classes began in August in provinces where non-Persian communities live and will continue into the first weeks of September.
According to Mohammad Ehsani, Deputy Director of Primary Education at the Tehran Education Department, most of the pre-school children participating in these programs belong to Turkish, Kurdish, and Lor ethnic groups.Speaking to the official news agency IRNA, Ehsani stated that these programs are being implemented with the goal of providing equitable educational opportunities for all pre-school children.
The 9,000 children participating in the preparation classes represent only a portion of the non-Persian pre-school children in Tehran province. These children had not previously attended any pre-school programs or kindergartens.
The Ministry of Education has also utilized the facilities of Iranian television to teach Farsi to non-Persian children in pre-school education programs.
According to reports, these programs are being implemented more extensively in border regions.
Based on statements published by experts and international human rights organizations, the lack of education in one's native language in Iran leads to various difficulties for non-Persian students during their education. Some studies indicate that many students drop out due to these challenges.
Hamid Reza Hacibabaei, who served as Iran’s Minister of Education from 2009 to 2013, explained the problem faced by non-Persian students in Iran: "70% of the country's students are bilingual. Their native language does not change to Farsi even after they enter school and finish first grade... A student who faces educational failure in first grade will not succeed in the long term."