Since I got involved in schooling and education just over three years ago, one of the biggest gaps I saw was the lack of training within Islamic Pedagogy. This is a relatively new field and even if some work has been done theoretically within academia, not much practical work has been done. I realized that Islamic Pedagogy is a vague concept for many Muslim teachers and hence training modules in this area have to be created from scratch because very little exists and very few certification programs exist in this arena. In that vein, I created modules such as Theology for Educators, Holistic Teaching Philosophy, Music in Islamic Law, and this year I plan on teaching Logic for Educators. Last year (2022) a book titled The Future of Education: Reassessing Iran’s Education System on the Eve of the 15th Solar Century (Amuzesh wa Parvaresh Ayandeh – Bazkhwani Amuzesh wa Parvaresh Iran Dar Astane Qarn Panzdahum Shamsi) was published, which includes articles from some of the top Iranian educators. The first article is written by Dr. Haddad-Adel and its contents were very similar to what I have mentioned above regarding the need for greater teacher training. The abstract of this paper is as follows:

A Glance to the Future of Education in Iran
By Gholamali Haddad Adel¹

In this article, the most important factor in shaping this future is identified as the “teacher.” A good teacher can largely compensate for other deficiencies in the education system. Therefore, the most important task in achieving a desirable future can be considered “teacher training,” which is the responsibility of Farhangian University. When utilizing the limited capacity of Farhangian University to supply teachers, priority should be given to training teachers in fields where no other universities offer such programs, specifically the vast number of elementary school teachers. In the first cycle of secondary education, the education system requires teachers who can teach multiple subjects (such as science teachers who teach physics, chemistry, and biology, or teachers of Arabic and religious studies). What remains are the high school teachers, whose specialized training can temporarily or permanently be assigned to universities, while their teaching skills can be developed at Farhangian University. The reform of education and any positive transformation within it depends on the reform, expansion, and strengthening of Farhangian University, which currently has a long way to go to reach an ideal state. Farhangian University must be so expansive and strong that it can keep pace with any changes at any level, in any subject, and be able to train teachers across the country to be prepared for implementing those changes.

Although the paper is lengthy and contains data analysis, I have translated a small portion of it that relates to my point above and may be relevant for our audience in the West.

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If we say that among all the factors influencing education, the “teacher” is the most important and influential, we would not be exaggerating. The “teacher” should be regarded as the “heart” of education, and “teacher training” as the “core of that heart.” All the qualities and abilities we wish to instill in the next generation must first be cultivated within the teacher’s character. Of course, it is not possible to instill all values and skills in a single teacher, but the collective group of teachers at a school should possess the desired set of values and skills so that the students, according to their talent and effort, can learn those values and skills from them.

The teacher is recognized as the most important pillar of the education system. The teacher is seen as the substitute for all deficiencies and the remedy for all shortcomings. Transformation is not possible without having quality teachers. The results of international studies and evaluations, such as TIMSS, PIRLS, and PISA, show that the common factor among all successful and high-quality educational systems is the presence of high-quality human resources, especially teachers and administrators. Essentially, any education system’s quality does not exceed its teachers’ quality. Therefore, strict policies for recruiting, retaining, retraining, professional development, and proper distribution of teaching staff are common features of all successful educational systems worldwide (Haji Mirzaei, 1400, 51).

What must never be forgotten is that “teaching” is a specialized skill, and not every “scholar” is necessarily a “teacher.” The more subtle and easier the subject matter to be taught, the higher the level of teaching skills required. For this reason, the teaching skills of a first-grade teacher must be at the highest level. We need to correct two incorrect assumptions in our minds: one is that “any knowledgeable person can become a teacher,” and the other is that “teachers of higher grades are necessarily superior to those of lower grades.”

A good teacher can largely compensate for other shortcomings in the education system. For example, if the textbook is not suitable, the teacher can replace or complement it with their own knowledge or teaching methods. In the absence of facilities and laboratory or library equipment, the teacher can maximize the use of available resources to compensate for these weaknesses partially. The teacher in education is similar to the driver in a moving vehicle. A bad driver can turn the best car into a death trap for passengers, while a good driver can recognize the flaws of an unsuitable vehicle and, with care and skill, prevent accidents from happening.

The ultimate goal of all activities in education is the “student,” and the one who interacts directly and face-to-face with the student is the “teacher.” In reality, every teacher can be seen as the symbol and representative of the education system of their country in the school and classroom. The contact and influence of other factors all find meaning and realization through the teacher. Therefore, it must be said that the most important and reliable indicator for evaluating any education system is the quality of its teachers.

The Role of the Teacher in Education

From the beginning of this discussion until now, our discussion on “teacher training” and the “importance of teachers” has primarily revolved around “knowledge acquisition.” The statistics we have referenced also reflect the academic literacy of students. However, if we limit the role and position of the teacher solely to “knowledge acquisition,” we are being narrow-minded and diminishing the teacher’s status. The truth is that the teacher’s role extends far beyond imparting knowledge and information to students; it also includes being a “mentor.” When translating the term “education,” we use the two words “teaching” and “upbringing” together to always remember that a teacher is also a mentor and bears the responsibility of nurturing the next generation.

If we are concerned about faithlessness, lack of belief, immorality, and unethical behaviour, as we indeed are, is there a broader and more organized arena than “education” or a better place than the school to address these concerns? If we hope to have a society with law-abiding, disciplined, managerial, hardworking, and responsible individuals who respect others’ rights in social life and possess a spirit of teamwork, do we know of any other way to achieve this goal other than through schools? Do we have any other human resources available to us other than the vast army of teachers? Of course, the factors influencing a teacher’s training in our society are varied and numerous: families, mosques, religious gatherings, cultural centers, artistic environments, recreational and sports facilities, media, and cyberspace, broadcasting organizations, libraries, and many other institutions all play or can play a role in education. However, the truth is that the impact of none of these can be compared to the impact of the “school” and “teacher.” School is the path that every individual must pass through to reach adulthood. No such guarantee or requirement exists for any of the other factors we mentioned.

All other nations, when they wanted to bring about a fundamental change in their society, used “education” as their launching pad toward a desirable future. Therefore, anyone with a plan to reform society and is concerned about the lack of spirituality, ethics, and proper human relationships in society must devote all their effort and focus to education, with the highest priority given to “teacher training.” It is as if Hafez wrote this beautiful verse specifically for this situation when he said:

The true remedy is for friends to abandon all other tasks,
And seize the curl of a beloved companion.

If we have teachers who, in addition to having the necessary ability to impart knowledge and information to students, can “educate” our children and adolescents through their spiritual character and moral role, then many of the problems we currently face, for which we seek solutions everywhere, will be resolved. Based on this, our Ministry of Education and our Teacher Training University must, with the right appeal, use “first-rate raw materials,” meaning qualified candidates, to produce “first-rate products,” meaning competent teachers, who will in turn educate the next generation of the country in classrooms and school environments. There is no other way to achieve an ideal and desirable society other than through schools, and any shortcut will lead to a dead end. If the Islamic Republic of Iran wishes to create a “new human” and a “new world,” it must build a “new education system,” and this renewal must begin with “teacher training.”

The key to unlocking the future must be sought in schools—or rather, it must be created in schools. The future’s lock cannot be opened except with the key of “education.” The teacher is the foundation of the school, and wherever there is a teacher, there is a school. The “teacher” emerges from the mechanisms of “teacher training,” and it is precisely for this reason that we say the future of education depends on “teacher training.” I am astonished by those who are passionate about societal reform but, instead of focusing on schools and teachers, turn to other factors and neglect “education” and “teacher training.”

Summary of the Discussion

Now, if we want to summarize what we have discussed in the previous pages into separate statements, we should say:

1. The teacher is the soul of education and its most fundamental pillar.
2. Any reform and transformation in education depends on the reform and transformation of “teacher training.”
3. The future of education, in every sense of the word, depends on the future of teacher training.
4. The teacher’s responsibility, in addition to imparting knowledge, also includes nurturing students. Nurturing is not just a “complement” to teaching, but is even more important.
5. In “teacher training,” both the “quantity” and “quality” of the trained teachers are crucial.
6. In Iran, due to economic difficulties, the salary and income of teachers are lower than those of other government employees, particularly university professors, which is why talented students prefer to study in other fields rather than in teaching.
7. Every teacher must be “knowledgeable,” but not every knowledgeable person can necessarily become a teacher.
8. In teacher training, attention to pedagogical skills and teaching techniques is at least as important as their specialized education.
9. Currently, in Iran, about fifty percent of teachers have entered the education system without going through a teacher training university or Farhangian University, meaning they have not received the necessary training and skills for teaching.
10. Farhangian University, which is responsible for training new teachers, enhancing the knowledge of current teachers, and providing them with teaching skills in Iran, is not capable of meeting all the educational needs in the short and medium term, either in terms of faculty or facilities.
11. If the government does not take special action to expand and develop Farhangian University, the problem of teacher training in Iran will not be solved, and the future of education in Iran—and therefore the future of Iran—will not be better than today.

1. Associate Professor Faculty of Literature & Humanities University of Tehran Member of the Academy of Persian Language & Literature