Tehran Municipality Sparks Debate: Controversial Funding for Ideological Projects Over Urgent Community Needs

In a controversial move, the Tehran Municipality has allocated 550 billion tomans to the “Arman Aliverdi” project, despite claiming insufficient funds to update the city’s aging transportation fleet. This initiative, part of the municipality’s Education Camp programs, aims to send clerics to schools and forge connections between educational institutions and mosques, raising concerns about the prioritization of ideology over essential infrastructure.

The “Arman Aliverdi” project is named after a member of the regime’s Basij forces who lost his life during the nationwide protests of 2022, while participating in violent crackdowns against demonstrators. This initiative reflects the regime’s broader strategy to ideologically influence the youth through the education system.

Questionable Budget Allocations

On December 21, 2024, the Tehran City Council convened to discuss a supplementary budget of 33 trillion tomans for the municipality. This session was held behind closed doors, excluding journalists from the proceedings. Significant details emerged regarding the sources of this funding, which included:

• Surplus income from the previous year’s expenses
• Claims received from various documents
• Sale of city and municipal assets

After the budget review, council member Nasser Amani revealed that the municipality had transferred considerable amounts—ranging from 100 to 200 million tomans—into individual accounts without adequate analysis. Specifically, regarding the “Arman Aliverdi” project, Amani indicated that the initial budget of 400 billion tomans was increased by an additional 150 billion tomans, culminating in a total budget of 550 billion tomans.

Amani criticized this expenditure, emphasizing that it strays from the municipality’s core responsibilities and detracts from pressing needs. “The municipality claims it lacks funds to address the city’s dilapidated bus fleet but spends lavishly on such projects,” he stated in an interview with Iran Didban.

Prioritizing Ideology Over Infrastructure

Amani also pointed out the dire conditions of schools in impoverished areas of Tehran, which suffer from:

• Collapsing roofs
• Unusable toilets
• Hazardous grounds leading to frequent injuries

He argued that financial resources should be allocated to enhancing educational infrastructure and rebuilding schools, rather than advancing ideological programs. Despite these urgent concerns, the municipality has continued with the “Arman Aliverdi” project, deploying Basij students to schools as part of a broader “brainwashing” initiative targeting children and teenagers. This strategy coincides with a severe teacher shortage, with at least 20,000 seminary students recruited over the past two years to fill the gap.

Deteriorating Education Standards

The ideological focus in Iranian schools is becoming increasingly alarming for students and parents. Official statistics highlight high dropout rates among secondary school students, which stem from:

• Poverty
• Insufficient educational facilities
• Inappropriate curriculum content

Many students are repulsed by the ideological indoctrination, leading to widespread disillusionment with the education system. Gholamhossein Mohammadi, Deputy Minister of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare, reported that approximately 30% of Iranians aged 18 to 24 do not possess a high school diploma, and nearly half of students fail to complete their education. He acknowledged that many young individuals perceive little connection between their education and the attainment of economic and social goals.

A Divided Youth

High school students in Tehran and other significant cities have increasingly divided into two distinct groups. One group perceives life in Iran as oppressive and is preparing to emigrate, while the other remains trapped in a state of mental distress, unable to leave. Both factions share a common dissatisfaction with their future prospects under the current regime.

The Ministry of Education exacerbates these issues by consistently amplifying the ideological content of textbooks, further alienating students. A report from the state-run Donya-e Eghtesad newspaper identified the disconnect between educational content and the needs of modern children as a major factor driving students away from school.

The Broader Impact

The growing disconnection between students and the education system is evident in their aspirations. Many young Iranians compare their lives to those of peers abroad, as seen through social media, and yearn for similar freedoms. Surveys suggest that at least 50% of students dream of building their futures outside Iran, motivated by the stark contrast between their realities and the opportunities available elsewhere.

In light of these challenges, the Tehran Municipality’s decision to allocate substantial public funds to ideological initiatives like the “Arman Aliverdi” project raises significant concerns regarding its priorities. Critics argue that addressing the city’s urgent infrastructure and educational needs should take precedence over advancing political agendas.