Statements of the Supreme Leader in Meeting with a Group of Educators

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

We welcome all of you dear brothers and sisters who have the honor of being engaged in education and training in the Islamic community, or God willing, will be engaged in the future; this is indeed a great honor.

We honor the memory of our dear martyr, the late martyr Motahhari (may God’s peace be upon him) and also the martyrs of education — teachers and students — who represent one of the most beautiful and glorious scenes of the Sacred Defense, and we hope that, God willing, the hand of the Almighty God and divine support will always be over you dear teachers and education officials, and that day by day this fruitful and blessed tree will be considered more blessed for our country and our nation.

Firstly, this meeting is to honor and respect the teachers. What needs to be said regarding education and training, regarding education — whether in the education headquarters or the organized ranks of education across the country — is mostly directed to the officials and those who are involved in implementation; what is primarily important for us today is to demonstrate the heartfelt respect that is due to the position of education and training. The essence is that “teaching” should have the necessary status in the Islamic community. It is very shortsighted to consider the teaching profession alongside other conventional occupations in life, which is merely a means for subsistence, to earn a living and pass through life; this is not true, it is not like that, teaching is not on par with other professions; it is much higher.

If we pay attention to the essence of education and training and the status of the teacher, we should truly liken it to someone who is the payer and sculptor of a precious gem, who gives it value. This precious gem is our children, these children are the children of the nation, who will form future generations with all their characteristics and distinctions. You teachers are the ones who shape these personalities, you refine them. It is not merely that in the classroom you say a couple of words and they learn; all your behavior, your movements, your demeanor, your ethics directly affect this engaging audience and shape them. What you instill as education in their minds is among the most enduring truths that remain in a person's mind. After fifty years, sixty years, many of the details that a teacher has told a student remain in the person's mind; many of the characteristics that they have transferred to the student through their behavior, their ethics, their way of speaking, their way of interacting remain in the person. Sometimes a person is aware of it, sometimes they are not; all of us unknowingly move along the path that a large part of it has been instilled in us by teachers; this is very important.

If a country wants to achieve dignity, to reach prosperity and wealth, to culminate in knowledge and scientific superiority, if it wants to deliver brave, free, understanding, wise, and thoughtful people to the human community, it must establish this main infrastructure; the infrastructure of education during childhood and adolescence. This is the dignity of the teacher. Therefore, great respect must be shown to the teacher. A lot of time must be spent to create the necessary readiness in the teacher. A lot of investment must be made to prepare a mechanism in which education and training can be effective and have the right direction. The emphasis we have placed on this fundamental transformation in education in recent years — which, thank God, today the document of this transformation is in the hands of education and has indeed clarified and specified the roadmap — is for this reason. Transformation in individuals, correct change in hearts, beliefs, movements, and temperaments, and the like requires a solid infrastructure; this infrastructure is education.

Our education system, when it took a new form in the country, was based on a different ideological and belief foundation; we have also moved along that foundation for decades — from the very beginning when modern education came to the country — we have actually progressed on that incorrect track; which, well, that was not the right track. This transformation document must guide us towards Islamic goals; it must lead society towards a truly Islamic lifestyle; it must be able to instill noble human qualities in us. Today, we observe flaws in ourselves, in our temperaments, in our behaviors; these flaws must be eliminated. Human potential in Iranian society is abundant and rich; this potential must find the opportunity to manifest itself, to find the right direction. This transformation document is aimed at such a thing.

They referred to the infrastructures of the transformation document. I would like to say here; the transformation document is a text that must be operationalized, but there should be no haste in it whatsoever; it must proceed with contemplation, with careful consideration of the correct aspects. The work is profound. Profound works are not short-term; they are not quick-yielding; they are long-term; they yield late; if done correctly, they will be lasting and fruitful; if hastily put together, then it will not yield the necessary results. It was said: “And the fruit is gathered before its time is ripe, like the farmer without his land”; if you pick the fruit before it ripens, you have actually gained nothing and your effort has been wasted. Let the fruit ripen, then pick it so that you can benefit from all its advantages.

Perhaps multiple research circles are needed to find practical and operational solutions for the sections of this transformation document, so that this track is truly laid correctly; then this train can move on the track. Of course, both the government and the parliament must seriously contemplate and consider financial support for education, for progress in this work. Education cannot be left to its own devices and not receive the necessary support, and then expect it to progress.

Well, thank God, in these years, very good works have been done — I also have reports — what has been done is good; but what has not been done and must be done, and if we do not get to work today, it will certainly be too late, is very much; and it is a long list that the respected education officials — both in the headquarters and in the ranks — God willing, must pay attention to these points.

The issue of the Teacher Training University is also very important; this is one of the things that must be seriously attended to in its internal arrangement. If a teacher has not built their own character, they cannot give anything to their student, to their audience. Here, the personalities of the teachers are formed. Although this university is defined under education and is related to education, higher education must provide all possible support to these universities. These are the tasks that must be carried out in the field of education.

Education is not an ordinary and regular institution alongside other institutions; it is a fundamental and important center; you can consider it as the engine of a train, you can consider it as the storage center of a collection; in any case, it differs from other executive institutions. The depth and foundational work in this ministry is such that it cannot be found in other ministries; even similar cultural ministries do not have the level of sensitivity, delicacy, and precision that is required in this collection. In any case, it is a very important collection.

We must also express our gratitude to our dear teachers who have chosen this profession and taken on these responsibilities. There are many who could have pursued other jobs that would have provided more income and possibly more political and social positions, but they dedicated themselves to this collection; this is very valuable. Throughout these years, teachers have always stood by the interests of the revolution, one example of which is the issue of the Sacred Defense and the imposed war, to which we referred regarding the martyrs of teachers and students in education; there are other examples in various places. Many had programs for teachers, for schools, pursuing political goals; the one who stood firm was the teacher. All of these are good deeds in the eyes of the Almighty God; these are all effective and important works that often may not be recognized by anyone, but they are not hidden from the eyes of the recorders.

The issue of textbooks is also very important. The content of these books must continuously progress and advance according to needs. There must be vigilant monitoring bodies throughout education that track the advancements based on the transformation document, see where there are shortcomings, where there are problems, where there are unsuccessful experiences, and immediately correct them — keen eyes are necessary — both in terms of educational materials and textbooks, they must assess the needs. For years, we have been including certain issues in textbooks; some remove them, some include them. Let’s see what is necessary from divine knowledge, Islamic knowledge, civil knowledge, civilization-building knowledge, human-building knowledge; knowledge that elevates a nation, makes it progressive, and leads it forward; if they are not present in our books, let’s include them; what things are contrary, numbing, misleading, let’s eliminate them; what things are necessary according to generations or genders, let’s include them. For instance, in the textbooks for girls, there may be things necessary in the areas of homemaking, child-rearing, and the like; and in the textbooks for boys, there may be other things necessary in dealing with work, life issues, and the like; these require constant monitoring and oversight, and this work must be done. In any case, this is very important work.

This year we stated: political epic and economic epic. Both topics are such that all segments of the nation can play a role in them; and until all segments of the nation do not play a role, an epic does not emerge. Of course, some may be preoccupied, some may be lazy, some may lack the necessary enthusiasm and zeal; when the majority of the nation, the general public across the country, have the necessary motivation to move towards that bright outlook, an epic emerges, and God willing, by God’s grace, this epic will come into being. In this regard, education plays a role. There are many students who themselves are not yet in a legal position to vote, but they can influence their families to enter this arena, to fulfill responsibilities. The numerous teachers across the country can influence both in this election issue — which is the prominent line of the political epic, this upcoming election — and in the economic epic, which is a long-term matter.

Our country and our great nation need to create epic moments in various sectors with their goals and aspirations. We must advance with leaps, dear brothers and sisters! This nation, with all its potential, has lagged behind during the long period of oppression — which was later accompanied by foreign interference and political, economic, and cultural domination of foreigners — we fell behind in the path of knowledge, we fell behind in construction, we fell behind in the economy, and we suffered from various cultural and cognitive ailments. The revolution provided this opportunity for the Iranian nation to compensate for this lag; and you see that over the past three decades of the revolution, the Iranian nation has shown what skill, what progress, and what potential it has presented to all observers around the world. The advancements of the Iranian nation in these three decades are not commensurate with thirty years; one example is the scientific advancements that global forums have no choice but to acknowledge; and they have acknowledged it. Our scientific advancement speed is thirteen times the global average; is this a joke? At the same time, with this speed of advancement, we are still scientifically behind. See how far behind we were! Even though we are moving at more than ten times the global average speed, we are still behind. Therefore, this speed must be maintained. This is a part that the enemy acknowledges; there are also parts that the enemy should not acknowledge, and they do not acknowledge; in political matters, it is the same, in social matters, it is the same, in the construction of the country, it is the same, in public awareness and insight, it is the same; these are things that our enemies do not find it prudent to mention in their propaganda, lest they encourage our nation to advance in this work. Regarding national power and international reputation, the speed of advancement must also be considered in this ratio. These advancements are due to the blessings of the revolution. However, at the same time, these advancements are still insufficient; these advancements must increase.

If the Iranian nation maintains this speed and momentum of advancement — whether in scientific, political, social, cultural, or cognitive fields — it will undoubtedly not take long to reach its rightful place; that which is worthy of the Iranian nation. A large part of this issue is related to education, a significant part of it connects to the country’s managers in executive fields; these are what make the issues of the country sensitive in the eyes of any insightful and observant person; these are what require an epic. Without an epic, these leaps do not occur. When there is an epic, when there is enthusiasm and vitality, a leap can be envisioned; it can be assumed that a leap will take place. We tested this during the Sacred Defense; we tested this wherever the people were involved. God willing, in the realm of the political epic and the economic epic, the Iranian nation must witness this; and a large part of this is on your shoulders, dear teachers.

We hope that the Almighty God grants you success; may the pure spirit of our dear martyrs and Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) be pleased with all of you and us; may He guide us in the important duties we have in various issues of the country, God willing, to the right path and assist us.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.