Iran to Revamp University Curricula by Eliminating Anti-Childbearing Material

Iran is taking significant steps to address its declining fertility rates. The Ministry of Science has recently called for the elimination of educational materials that discourage childbearing, reflecting a broader initiative to promote higher birth rates in the country. This move comes amid ongoing efforts to provide support and incentives for families.

During a meeting of the Ministry of Science’s Population Youth Headquarters on Sunday, Science Minister Hossein Simaei Saraf outlined new proposals aimed at encouraging population growth. Some of the key initiatives discussed include:

• Increasing the construction of married student dormitories.
• Establishing on-campus kindergartens to facilitate childcare for married students.
• Enhancing financial support for housing deposits, educational loans, and other benefits specifically designed for married students with children.

In his remarks, Saraf emphasized the importance of promoting childbirth and urged the expansion of university programs that focus on the roles of family and women within an Islamic-Iranian cultural framework. He stated, “fields like home and family management should be prioritized and educational content discouraging childbearing removed.”

This initiative is a continuation of a directive issued by the Ministry of Science under former president Ebrahim Raisi and has been reiterated by the current Minister of Science. In April, the Ministry mandated the removal of educational content contrary to childbearing promotion from university curricula. This directive aligns with the “Family Support and Population Youth” law, which offers various benefits for student mothers, including maternity leave.

The “Population Youth” law, which was approved by the Guardian Council in October 2021, was passed without extensive debate in parliament. It provides financial and employment benefits to families with children while simultaneously restricting access to contraception and abortion. This aspect of the law has drawn criticism from human rights organizations, which argue that it infringes on Iranian women’s sexual and reproductive rights.

The push for population growth has been a significant policy focus in Iran for more than a decade, often highlighted by repeated calls from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Since 2012, university curricula have systematically removed family planning courses that included contraception discussions, and financial incentives such as marriage loans have been introduced to encourage larger families.

However, the implementation of these pro-childbearing policies faces substantial financial challenges. The head of the Student Welfare Fund of the Ministry reported that over 10 trillion rials (approximately $12.5 million) in housing deposit loans have been provided to married students since March 2022. An additional 6.8 trillion rials (around $8.5 million) has been allocated for this purpose in the current fiscal year, which began on March 20, 2024.

Despite these efforts, the financial system is struggling to meet the demand for marriage and childbearing loans. Mohammadreza Farzin, the head of the Central Bank of Iran, indicated that the banking system lacks sufficient funds to address the overwhelming demand, estimating a need for 8 quadrillion rials (approximately $100 million) to fulfill existing loan applications. This raises concerns about the viability of the government’s ambitious population growth plans.

Data from the National Organization for Civil Registration reveals that government efforts to boost birth rates have yet to yield positive results. In the Iranian year beginning March 21, 2023, the number of births fell by more than 17,000 compared to the previous year, with the average number of children per family decreasing from six to three.

Addressing these demographic changes, Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi warned that declining birth rates could lead to a significantly smaller and older population. Projections suggest that by 2101, the population could shrink by as much as 50%, with nearly half of the population potentially classified as elderly.

The country’s ongoing financial crisis has also played a critical role in the decline of fertility rates. Over a third of Iranians currently live below the poverty line, with inflation remaining above 40% for five consecutive years. Additionally, socio-cultural factors, including shifting social norms and urban lifestyle changes, have significantly impacted family planning decisions.

In summary, Iran’s Ministry of Science is actively seeking to reverse declining fertility rates through a range of initiatives aimed at promoting childbirth and supporting families. However, the success of these policies remains uncertain amid financial constraints and changing societal dynamics.