For the past 30 years, it has been the policy of the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran to strangle the Baha’i community of that country through various means, culturally, economically, and legally, including barring students from attending institutions of higher education, and in each instance twisting and poisoning the institutions of their own country in order to do so. It now appears that in an insidious move, the regime in some cases is preventing Baha’i schoolchildren from registering at primary and secondary schools as well.
This action of the Islamic government is in direct contravention of Article 30 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which states:
Article 30: The government must provide all citizens with free education through secondary school, and must expand free higher education to the extent required by the country for attaining self-sufficiency.
Furthermore, Iran is a signatory of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which clearly states:
Article 26: Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. … Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
This deplorable act of the Islamic regime to prevent Baha’i children from attending primary and secondary school is a cause of concern for all citizens of the world. Iran Press Watch regrets this action of the authorities in Iran.
For further details, kindly see the attached announcement by the Varqaa site.
August 20, 2009 9:19 pm
Thank you for sharing, IPW.
Imagine a nine-year old who has to face being prevented from going to school because of her parents religion! Imagine parents whose steadfastness in their beliefs is being tested in this way.
More than twenty years ago IRI tried the same thing; refusing to register elementary and high school students to schools in parts of Iran. In Shiraz where I used to live, Baha’is immediately started teaching their children at home. All IRI’s unjust move created at that time was more harmony and collaboration among Baha’is. I am now away from Iran, but I can imagine it is the same today. These days will pass, Baha’is will manage to educate their chilren at home, but history will keep shameful records of a “religious” regime that tells children you cannot learn because your parents are not like us!
August 20, 2009 10:08 pm
As an Iranian and a human being, I am disgusted by this deplorable attempt to further strangle Iran’s Baha’i population. Does this regime know no shame? Do what limits will they go to oppress this minority? I call on UNESCO and the international community to condemn this action and demand that Iran open the doors of its schools AND universities to all of its citizens.