Iran - Teaching Profession

In the 1994-95 academic year, there were more than 500,000 teachers in the preprimary to upper secondary level. In accordance with "The Act of Coordinated Payment to State Employees," these professionals have salaries equivalent to those of regular public workers. The Ministry of Education places a high priority on teacher training, stating that "teachers have always played a significant role in education. So, the training of teachers should be of major concern in the changing of world future society."

Primary School & Lower Secondary Teacher Training: Primary school and lower secondary, or guidance, schoolteachers are trained in two years in teacher training centers (Daneshsari-rahnamai), where they obtain an associate's degree. In the technical/vocational sections, they are selected from graduates of technical and vocational schools.

Secondary School Teacher Training: Secondary school teachers must pass the National Entrance Examination, ask for a scholarship, and follow a four-year course leading to a bachelor's degree. Upper secondary school teachers are trained at Tarbiat Moallam University and the University for Teacher Education, both in Tehran.

Higher Education Teacher Training: Tarbiat Modares University has been established to train faculty members and researchers in different scientific fields.