The Alarm of School Dropouts in Underprivileged Areas
Shargh News Agency reported on the increase in textbook prices and its impact on students’ educational status, especially in rural and marginalized areas.
The Ministry of Education has announced a 60% increase in textbook prices, but field reports indicate an increase of about 110%.
A teacher from the outskirts of Ahvaz told Shargh’s reporter that during their career, they have witnessed children dropping out of school for very small amounts, as little as 10,000 tomans.
They said that the increase in the price of elementary school textbooks from 47,000 tomans to 114,000 tomans could lead to more students leaving the education system.
According to this teacher, while education should be free based on the constitution, provincial education departments pressure schools to register textbooks for all their students by the end of June in a bid to receive commendation.
Additionally, students are not allowed to use textbooks from previous years, which has also resulted in additional costs.