Afshin R. Formation and Development of Educational System in Iran.

The dissertation provides a complex analysis of the main trends of education and pedagogic thought development in Iran during the IX-XX centuries, it identifies specific elements that were inherent in the Iranian pedagogic traditions prior to the islamization and that were adapted to new conditions after the Arabian conquest. The research focuses on the national educational system and its structural elements, elucidates objectives, contents, forms and methods of education; analyzes pedagogic ideas of Iranian distinguished thinkers. It is proved that the Muslim educational system in Iran was finally built up by the end of the XIth century and was aimed at spreading Islam and developing its dogmas. Formation of Persian thinkers’ pedagogical views was influenced by own cultural traditions as well as by other peoples’ traditions including the ones of the ancient Greeks. The medieval system of education in Iran was preserved almost without changes until the 70’s of the XIXth century, while theology servedas a base of teaching. The results of this research helps one maintain that the 20’s, 30’s and 60’s of the XXth century reforms played a positive role in the Iranian education development, which led to the formation of public primary and secondary schools, education quality improvement, opening of universities and organization of pedagogic and craftsmen schools. At the same time the problem of ruling classes’ privileges in the sphere of education and its inaccessibility for poor layers of society was not resolved.