Iran-Leader-Visit
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said in Fars province on Thursday that prestige of teachers in society should be upheld in accord with the Islamic vision and logic.
Addressing thousands of teachers of Fars province, Supreme Leader underlined that the society should accord respect for teachers.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the Teacher's Day is a meaningful day and belongs to entire nation, and that there are wide gap between Islamic and western attitude towards the status and identity of teachers.
Respecting Islamic logic and education means giving a boost to both the individual and society, but the western materialist civilization assesses teachers services in terms of money, the Leader said, adding that such a culture has unfortunately contaminated Iran over two centuries unleashing a process detrimental to their prestige.
The Supreme Leader urged officials in charge of teachers' demands to strive to resolve their problems, saying that view over teachers should be shifted to the Islamic vision.
"You should accord the highest possible esteem to the teachers." The Leader said that based on holy Quran's verses and remarks of the infallible household of the great Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), education has direct impact on guiding mankind to the right direction.
The late Imam Khomeini was a scholar in Quranic sciences and termed teaching as the job of divine prophets, said the Supreme Leader.
The Supreme Leader also called on teachers to observe various educational issues and spiritual attitudes, adding that the art of teachers is that they shape mindset of children, teenagers and the youth through mutual respect and kindness.
On learning teaching skills from foreigners, the Supreme Leader said, "We are determined to learn from others, but we should choose what is useful for us and at the same time prevent foreigners from misleading our minds in their own interest."
Underscoring the need for a deep change in education system of Iran, the Supreme Leader drew attention of the audience to the fact hat methodology of Iranian education has been influenced by the Western education both in terms of form and content.
Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the memorization-oriented method as weak point of the education system in Iran, adding that thought-oriented education is needed to pave the way for flourishing the talents.
Pointing to the importance of training the teachers, the Leader noted that the administration is expected to utilize capacities of universities and other centers in light of talents of students.
The Supreme Leader further said that the general responsibility of the education system is training students and providing the society with competent and educated human beings, and that universities are important, but the country needs numerous jobs, which do not require academic training, thus, education system should also provide the youth with vocational training.
Teachers are responsible for train religious and spiritual knowledge to students, he said, adding that along with the general responsibility, special department for training activities should be established.
Elsewhere in his speech, the Supreme Leader emphasized the need for a scheduled timetable for educating all Iranians.
"All children at the age of school should be given the opportunity to participate in systematic educational courses everywhere in the country. Then, it can reach a stage in which having certificates of primary school will become a necessity for people from all walks of life."
The young generation is full of talent and unlimited capability, the Leader said, adding that the Iranian nation abides by its commitments to the late Imam Khomeini and the Islamic revolutionary system, and that the lively youths of the country will follow up great and important progress such as producing nuclear energy.
The talented youths of the Iranian nation have showed innovation and invention to all nations, the Supreme Leader said, adding that Iranians admire the progress made in peaceful nuclear technology.
