Majid Abdollahi, Deputy of Iran’s School Modernization, Development, and Equipping Organization, has revealed that approximately 1,820 classrooms in Iran are currently housed in trailers. He emphasized the urgent need to modernize and secure these makeshift schools.
In an interview with YJC on Monday, December 30, Abdollahi stated that efforts are underway to target trailer-based schools with more than 10 students for modernization. He also reported the identification of around 1,000 stone cottage schools across the country. Planning for these projects, including assessing local needs and determining suitable locations, has been delegated to provincial education and modernization organizations.
Abdollahi highlighted the organization’s priority of improving the quality of educational spaces. He attributed the current participatory approach to a model developed under the leadership of Masoud Pezeshkian, president of the regime. This model encourages public involvement in addressing these pressing challenges.
On December 26, Pezeshkian stressed the importance of expanding educational spaces in Iran, urging citizens to take proactive steps to address the lack of proper facilities. However, this appeal for public financial aid comes amid widespread criticism of the regime’s allocation of resources. While significant funds are channeled into regional proxy wars, many schools across the country remain in dire conditions, highlighting a stark disparity in governmental priorities.
Alarming Reports of School Shortages
Hamidreza Khanmohammadi, head of the School Modernization, Development, and Equipping Organization, warned on November 27 that seven provinces—Tehran, Qom, Sistan and Baluchestan, Khuzestan, Khorasan Razavi, Alborz, and West Azerbaijan—are experiencing severe school shortages.
Adding to this, Alireza Kazemi, Minister of Education, attempted to downplay the situation on October 14, claiming, “The existence of trailer schools does not signify a crisis. Climatic conditions and fluctuations in student numbers often necessitate the creation of trailer schools.” Despite this statement, the numbers tell a different story: official statistics show that approximately 70,000 classrooms require retrofitting, while 30,000 need to be demolished and rebuilt.
Financial Struggles in Educational Development
Funding for improving educational spaces in Iran largely depends on contributions from private benefactors. Safar Ali Yazerlu, another deputy of the School Modernization Organization, announced in May that 57% of the country’s schools have been constructed with financial support from individuals and organizations. The government’s share in funding school construction remains a meager 43%.
The reliance on external funding underscores the government’s failure to prioritize education in its national budget. Without substantial changes in policy and financial strategy, Iran’s educational infrastructure is likely to remain in crisis, leaving many children without access to safe and suitable learning environments.