The Minister of Education Mahmoud Farshidi and his deputies and a large number of Education Ministry directors from different cities across the country met the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei on Wednesday, July 25.
In an address to the audience, the Leader stated that education plays a unique and very significant role in shaping the mentality and morality and behavior of the members of any society. He also described a fundamental change in the country's educational system as a basic requirement and an unavoidable necessity.
"In order to bring about a fundamental change to our educational system, the Ministry of Education is expected to utilize intellectual and competent forces to draw up the philosophy of education based on our religious and national identity and change our educational system in conformity with this new outlook," the Leader told the audience.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that if a country and nation aspires to material welfare and spiritual salvation as well as political superiority and scientific progress and development, it should view the issue of education as a very important and fundamental issue, since the competent human forces that are needed to accomplish these noble objectives are the products of the educational system.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic referred to the fact that in the pre-revolution era the country's educational system was based on non-religious foundations that were contrary to and incompatible with the national identity of the Iranian people. He stated that the educational system in Iran before the Islamic Revolution was inconsistent with religion and based on Western concepts and not in accord with the country's basic requirements.
Ayatollah Khamenei also pointed out that some very positive measures have been taken in the field of education in the post-revolution era.
"Despite all these valuable measures that have so far been taken in conformity with the Islamic principles and national criteria, there has not been a basic change in the country's educational system yet, and it still rests on the old foundations," Ayatollah Khamenei observed.
Describing the present Education Ministry officials as motivated and dynamic and devoted to their responsibilities, the Leader stated that the incumbent officials are quite capable of bringing about a fundamental change to the county's educational system, and that they are expected to do so through appropriate planning.
Ayatollah Khamenei further referred to the significant role played by the High Council of Cultural Revolution and the High Council on Education in bringing about a basic change in the country's educational system. He added that all the intellectual and cultural and creative forces in the country should cooperate in performing this significant task and accomplishing this great objective.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Republic stated that an educational system whose output is brave and benevolent and persevering and innovative and disciplined individuals who are hopeful and optimistic about the future and who are able to open up new frontiers in science is the one which is viewed as a desired educational system.
Ayatollah Khamenei further pointed out that other factors such as families and the broadcasting media are also instrumental in shaping the mentality and morality and behavior of the members of society. He, however, added that a remodeled educational system that is based on religious foundations and national identity will also influence families and the broadcasting media.
In conclusion, the Leader expressed his gratitude to the Education Ministry officials for the positive measures that have been taken by them over the past few years. He also told the ministry officials that remodeling the country's educational system requires careful long-term planning and advised them to make every effort to lay the foundations of this remodeling.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Minister of Education Mahmoud Farshidi presented a report about the measures that have been taken by his ministry over the past two years.
The education minister also said that bringing about a fundamental change in the country's educational system is the prevalent discourse in the Education ministry. He added that a strategic council has been formed in the ministry to follow up the issue, and that a number of educational experts are busy drawing up the philosophy of Islamic education and preparing the ground for remodeling the educational system based on this philosophy.