New narratives of the intensification of educational and employment deprivation in Sistan and Baluchestan
On Tuesday, March 23, the former deputy director of the Planning Organization announced that the dropout rate in Iran had increased by 42 percent, and that there were approximately 40,000 dropouts from primary education in Sistan and Baluchestan province.
According to ILNA, Ahmadreza Vaez Mahdavi also added that the same number of primary school students who have not completed their education in this province are those who have identity cards, and "many students do not have identity cards."
In another report, the representative of Khash and Mirjaveh in the parliament announced that a note was included in the 1400 employment exam booklet, according to which the people of Sistan and Baluchestan province have been deprived of the privilege of having children that was intended for the employment exam.
Ismail Hossein Zehi, a member of parliament, stated that the 1400 employment exam booklet provides 2 points for each marriage and child, for a total of up to 10 points for the job applicant, adding that "in a strange move, a note is included on page 5 of the assessment organization's booklet, according to which the aforementioned points are considered for provinces where the fertility rate of the candidate's city is not higher than 2.5."
According to official statistics, Sistan and Baluchestan province, with a fertility rate of 3.62, is the only province with a fertility rate higher than 2.5, and the number of other provinces is lower than this figure.
Mr. Hossein Zahi also mentioned this issue, but attributed this action to "mischievousness on the part of some individuals."
Considering the benefits of having children is one of the Iranian government's incentive measures following the Leader of the Islamic Republic's emphasis on increasing the population. In this case, the people of the Sunni province of Sistan and Baluchestan have been deprived of this benefit due to this note and will have a lower chance of being employed in government centers in the 1400 employment exam.
Sistan and Baluchestan province has a population of about two million eight hundred thousand (mostly Sunni) and is considered the most deprived province in Iran.
Annual statistics in the last few years have consistently stated that the population under the risk of absolute poverty in this province is more than 45 percent.
In October of this year, the Director General of the Nutrition Improvement Office of the Iranian Ministry of Health warned about the increase in food insecurity in some regions of Iran and announced that the malnutrition index among children in Sistan and Baluchestan, which was six percent before 2019, has now reached 12 percent.
Before him, Aleem Yarmohammadi, a representative of Zahedan in the parliament, had pointed out the widespread dimensions of deprivation in this province and said that about 74 percent of the province's residents were also "below the food security poverty line."
Regarding the education of children and adolescents in this province, Ahmadreza Vaez Mahdavi stated that the rate of primary school dropout in Sistan and Baluchestan is high, and the per capita educational infrastructure in this region is 3.2 square meters, while it should be increased to 5.2 to 5.6 square meters.
According to this former official of the National Planning Organization, Sistan and Baluchestan province also has a different situation from most other regions in terms of urban and rural inequality, and while the average income of urban residents is twice that of rural residents, the income of Sistan and Baluchestan province is less than 50 percent of the average income of rural residents.
The imposition of religious restrictions, widespread repression and execution of government opponents, and the widespread presence of military forces in local and executive positions, along with the consequences of widespread drought, have caused the people of Sistan and Baluchestan province to constantly be involved in numerous crises.
Source: Radio Farda
