Exclusive: Iran's school year opens as fees triple and enrolment falls

Iran's new academic year opened on Wednesday amid rising tuition fees and dwindling enrollment at private schools in Tehran, as war fears, sanctions and a collapsing currency put pressure on family budgets. President Masoud Pezeshkian kicked off the school year by ringing the bell at a girls' primary school in Tehran. The Ministry of Education has ordered schools to focus on in-person classes after periods of online learning during the conflict.

Private schools were instructed to limit tuition increases to 35% for the new academic year, setting fees between 14 million and 145 million tomans (€53–€549). However, the cap is not being followed. Bita, a senior high school student in eastern Tehran, paid 220 million tomans (€833) for her education this year, a 175% increase from last year.

She estimates that a senior at a private high school must now pay roughly 250 million tomans (€947) for their education. In affluent neighborhoods, the cost is even higher. Maryam, an accountant at several private primary schools in southern Tehran, noted that tuition has skyrocketed from 36 million tomans (€136) two years ago to 85 million tomans (€322) this year.

Security concerns and the prospect of classes moving online have led to declining enrollment, with some schools closing entirely due to insufficient enrollment. Official statistics show total enrollment in fee-charging schools and universities at approximately 3.3 million students, a 50% drop from the past decade as purchasing power declines.

Tuition costs have doubled for many students, and basic school supplies now range from 3 million tomans (€11.30) to 17 million tomans (€64.30). Stationery prices have also surged, with a quality notebook increasing from 85,000 tomans (€0.32) last year to 180,000 tomans (€0.68) this year, a 100% jump. Families are using leftover supplies from previous years or foregoing new purchases altogether due to the high costs.