1. The GER at primary level during the surveyed years was subject to some fluctuations. This ratio rose from 110.6% in 1990 to 113.3% in 1992 and then descended to reach 106.5% in 1998.

The GER among male pupils followed the same trend, increasing from 116.4% in 1990 to 117.7% in 1992 and then declining to 110.6% in 1998.

Table 8: GER (1990-1998), by gender

Source: The office of coordination and integration of the plans

The GER of female pupils underwent some fluctuations too rising from 104.4% in 1990 to 108.8% in 1993 and then declining to 102.3% in 1998. The reasons for the increase and decrease in the GER at primary level during the years under survey are as follows:

1. Reasons for the increase:

As we know the GER can be calculated by dividing the number of pupils enrolled in primary education by the population figure of 6-10 year olds.

The numerator of this fraction is obtained by adding two certain figures. The first figure is the number of new entrants to primary grade one and the second figure is the number of pupils between 6 to 17 years of age studying in primary grades two to five. Along with the reduction in the population of age group 6-10 years, there was a slight decline in the number of new entrants to primary grade one from 1990 onward. In return, the number of pupils in primary grades two to five, as a result of the increase in the number of pupils prior to 1990, rose sharply. Finally the difference between this decrease and increase led to a rise in the number of pupils in the years 1990 to 1993 in comparison to the previous year; as a result of which the numerator of the fraction increased too.

But the denominator of the fraction which is the population of age group 6-10 year olds, in comparison to the previous year, underwent a decline. The GER which is calculated by dividing the number of pupils at primary level by the population figure of age group 6-10 year olds consequently increased.

2. Reasons for the decrease:

The GER reduced from 1993 onward. The reason for this may be due to the decline in pupils’ population growth rate and as a result the reduction in new entrants primary level, as well as the changes in some of the rules of procedure regarding the examinations in order to facilitate the promotion rate and completion of primary level.

The GER for males and females increased from 1990 to 1993 and declined from 1993 onward. The reason for this fluctuation is as mentioned in the total intake rate.

The comparison between male GER with that of female shows that during the aforesaid period the male GER was constantly higher than that of female, the reasons being as follows:

1. The prevailing culture particularly in rural areas regarding girls’ education.
2. Cooperation and participation of girls in housekeeping and babysitting.
3. Lack of female teachers in some areas and villages.
4. Co-education in some of the rural classes
5. Participation of girls in income generating activities for the family such as carpet weaving, handicrafts, etc.

It is noteworthy that every year a great deal of effort is made to increase the number of female entrants, the effect of which is evident as the GER increases.

Figure No 5: Gross Enrollment Ratio (1990-1998), by gender

Source: The office of coordination and integration of the plans

1. The GER in the period 1990-1998 reveals that the highest ratios were in Kerman, Lorestan, Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari, Ardabil, Gilan, Hormozgan and Markazi, while the lowest were in Sistan and Baluchistan,West Azarbaijan, Yazd, Khorasan and Kurdestan provinces.

Sistan and Baluchestan had the lowest GER during all the years under survey.

2- The causes for high Gross Enrollment Ratio in the several provinces may be explained as follows:

A. Some of the education centers in the aforesaid provinces are coeducational.

B. Repetition rates are high in some education centers of the provinces.

3. Population of the children who are not in the 6-10 year-old group is high which is the result of delay in enrollment, high number of repetition rate, temporary drop - out and re-enrollment.
4. Reduction in the population of 6-10 year-old children.

3. The causes for low GER in Sistan & Baluchistan, West Azarbaijan, Khorasan and Kurdestan provices may be explained as follows:

Low GER in Sistan &Baluchistan, West Azarbaijan and Kurdestan was due to low intake rate of school-age children in the surveyed age group.

The causes for low intake rate of the school age children in these provinces was due to the following factors:

1. Insufficient number of female teachers in some districts (especially in the villages of the relevant provinces)
2. Co-educational classes in some districts
3. False and profitable occupations.
4. Children’s partnership in income generating activities.
5. Despite the fact that continuous efforts were made to increase the GER in these provinces, they are figure is still low when compared to the other provinces.

4. The reason for low GER in Yazd province was due to the low repetition rate, timely enrollment of new entrants and low number of pupils who are not in the 6-10 Year-old age group.

All these factors resulted in the low number of primary school pupils as compared with the total population of 6-10 year old age group.

Thus, on one hand it resulted in a high NIR and on the other, a low GER.

1. During the current decade (1990-99), the NER had and increasing trend. That is, the ratio increased from 92 2% in 1990 to 97% in 1998. During the same period, NER for females showed the same trend . The ratio increased from 88.4% in 1990 to 95.3% in 1998.

A similar trend was noticed for males too . The ratio increased from 95.9% in 1990 to 98.5% in 1998.

Table 9: Total NER at primary level (1990-1998), by gender

Figure No 6: Total NER an primary level (1990-1998), by gender

Source: The office of coordination and integration of the plans

2. The causes for such an increase in the NER during the period 1990-1998 at national level may be listed as follows:

M. Establishment of lower secondary schools and creating necessary motivation among primary school pupils to continue their education in secondary level

Table 10: Children 6-10 Years of Age Not Enrolled in Schools

13. Inadequacy and lack of flexibility in the contents and methods of teaching resulting in absence of creativity, order, responsibility, respect for others, and group activity.
14. Economic poverty preventing parents from supporting incidental expenses of education for their children and its effects on registering for primary education.
15. Lack of obligation for parents to send their 6-10 year-old children to school due to weak regulations regarding child labor.
16. The great size of the section considering the number of students, employees, educational regions and unlimited centralization in management and decision making
17. Lack of clarity in the country’s development pattern as a result of lack of harmony between educational courses in secondary education and job market
18. Rapid universal changes in production and scientific development, hence general knowledge and use of new educational methods, is creating a gap in the quality of education and methods, equipment between the country and abroad.

1.The first step for special education of children in Iran was taken more than seventy years ago. The first efforts were made voluntarily in the education of the visually challenged then, the deaf and the mentally challenged children in non-governmental sector.

Table 11: Increasing trend of the pupils with special needs enrolled in primary level by gender (1980-1998)

Table 13: Students with different disabilities, by gender (1990-1998)

Source: Special Education organization

1. Iran hosts the largest refugee population in the world. At its peak in April 1991, the total refugee population reached 4.1 million. Following the Persian Gulf war and the consequent civil war inside Iraq around 1.4 million refugees mainly from northern Iraq, streamed into Iran within a week bringing unimaginable suffering. The Iranian authorities responded in an exemplary manner, providing fast and effective assistance with only limited help from the international community.

At present Iran continues to have the largest number of refugees globally. In 1997 the total refugee population stood at 2.1 million, consisting mainly of 1.5 million Afghans and over half a million Iraqis.

As a consequence of Iran’s liberal approach to refugees only about 4% live in camps and most are scattered in cities and villages throughout the country, many finding casual employment.

Refugee children in Iran are comprised of a large and growing population. Of the approximately 2.1 million Afghan and Iraqi refugees currently in the country, almost half are estimated to be children under the age of 15, the majority of whom were born and brought up in Iran. Although Iranian law requires all children to be recorded at birth, not many of them are in fact registered.

This is because few refugee marriages are registered, mainly for lack of proper identification documents. This makes it difficult for the children to attend Iranian schools although many older children have attended adult literacy courses.

The health and educational needs of refugee children are a matter of priority and have been tackled effectively by the Iranian government and the UNHCR.

The Ministry of Education shoulders the responsibility for the education of all Afghan and Iraqi pupils/students. most of whom enjoy the same educational facilities as Iranian pupils/students and are studying along with them in state-supervised schools.

The number of Afghan refugee pupils was 84,651 in 1990. This number rose to 1,13,196 in 1998.

Table 14: The number of Afghan pupils studying at Iranian schools from 1991 to 1998

Source: Bureau of International scientific cooperation

The number of Iraqi refugee pupils in 1990 with an ascending trend rose to 17,512 in 1998.

Table 15: The number of Iraqi pupils studying at Iranian schools from 1991 to 1998

Source: Bureau of International scientific cooperation

1. Refugee pupils/students residing in camps:

The Ministry of Education has set up 28 schools at camps in which Iraqis and Afghans are residing. These camps are located in provinces of West Azarbaijan , Bushehr, Kermanshah, Lorestan, Fars, Kerman, Kurdestan, Khuzestan, Sistan and Baluchistan, Markazi, Semnan and Zanjan in which 14,000 Afghan and Iraqi pupils / students were studying in 1998.

79 % of pupils / students are Iraqis and 21 % are Afghans and more than 600 male and female principals and teachers are responsible for their education.

2. Medical examination of refugee pupils/students:

The Ministry of Education in partnership with UNHCR, and in order to:

1. monitor camp residing refugee pupils /students
2. identify the pupils/students in need of health and medical services;and
3. prevent the spread of contagious and infectious diseases in the camps,

has prepared and implemented a plan of regular health and medical examinations of refugee pupils/students. This plan includes immunization and general examining of refugee pupils/students.

1. Funding resources

Most of the funding resources for education of refugee /students are provided by the Ministry of Education. For instance, only in the school-year 1998, the government spent 165 billion Rials for the education of 2,00,222 Iraqi and Afghan pupils/students at the three levels of primary, lower and upper secondary. Of course in the past three years the UNHCR and some NGOs have become active in this regard and paid for part of the educational expenses.