Editor’s Note: A former research assistant at Stimson, Maryam Rezaei Zadeh focuses on the status of women and minorities in the Middle East, with a particular expertise on the challenges faced by these groups in her native Iran.
By Barbara Slavin, Distinguished Fellow, Middle East Perspectives
Iran has served as a significant host country for Afghan refugees for over four decades, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimating that over 750,000 registered Afghan refugees reside in Iran, alongside 2.1 to 2.5 million undocumented Afghans. According to UNHCR, nearly 40 percent of these refugees are under 18.
As the world marked the International Day of Education on January 26, it is crucial to highlight how inclusive policies can promote access to education for marginalized groups. The 2025 theme emphasized “learning for lasting peace” and “inclusive and equitable education as a foundation for social transformation.” These missions align with the challenges and opportunities surrounding education of Afghans in Iran.
While most Afghan refugees live in urban areas such as Tehran, Mashhad, and Isfahan, a significant number reside in border provinces such as Khorasan and Sistan-Baluchestan. Field studies conducted by the Iranian Ministry of Education highlight that more than 90 percent of Afghan refugee children are enrolled in some sort of schooling but two thirds face difficulties in accessing formal education.
Iran has provided sanctuary to Afghans since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. A significant milestone came in 2015 when Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a decree mandating that all children, regardless of their legal status, must have access to education. The decree marked a turning point and led to over 48,000 new enrollments in the first year. As of 2023, over 600,000 Afghan children were enrolled in Iranian schools.
While there has been progress, interviews with Afghan families by Amnesty International in 2022revealed administrative inefficiencies and limited awareness of their rights. Fatima, a refugee mother in Mashhad, told this analyst in an interview that although her children eventually gained access to school, the process was fraught with delays and bureaucratic challenges. Despite the Supreme Leader’s decree, local school officials initially refused to enroll her children due to a lack of documentation. Fatima had to seek assistance from a local NGO, which provided legal guidance and helped her navigate the complex administrative process. Even after enrollment, Fatima struggled to afford the cost of uniforms, books, and transportation, as her family relied on irregular income from her husband’s day labor jobs. She said that her children love learning, but every day is a fight to keep them in school because of fear that they can’t afford the fees.
On a policymaking level, there have been two opposing perspectives on Afghan migrants in Iran. One is a threat-oriented perspective that focuses on repatriating migrants and reducing the financial burden of providing education to Afghan nationals at a time when the Iranian economy is already under severe stress.
The other perspective is opportunity-oriented and is aimed at promoting Iranian-Islamic culture in the region. The Supreme Leader’s 2015 directive had a positive impact on migrant access to education and legalized schools set up by Afghans themselves. Field reports by UNHCR confirm that access to education has also improved in border areas, which have worked with NGOs to distribute learning materials and improve classroom infrastructure.
Despite these achievements, some schools still demand additional documentation for enrollment. Financial barriers also impede access, with school fees, books, and transportation costs proving unaffordable for many refugee families. According to Diyaran, a newsletter for immigrants in Iran, nearly 70 percent of Afghan families in Sistan-Baluchestan struggle to afford transportation, which is a significant contributor to high dropout rates.
Problems are most acute for undocumented migrants. According to Faraz Nader Yar-Ahmadi, head of the Center for Foreign Nationals and Migrants Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, “The education of each individual amounts to approximately 42 million tomans.” At the current exchange rate, this equates to roughly U.S. $1,000 per year per student, a huge figure for struggling migrants. Under a decision by the Iranian government, Afghan students are entitled to free education, with the government covering all associated costs. Indeed, nearly 10 percent of the country’s total education budget is allocated to Afghan students. Contributions from international organizations like the United Nations also help to offset the costs.
In August 2023, Mehdi Fayyazi, head of the Center for International Affairs and Schools Abroad under the Ministry of Education, revealed that Iran received approximately $3 million in foreign aid in 2021 and $20 million in 2022 to support the education of Afghan migrants, but that the Iranian government still was responsible for 90 percent of the cost.
Cultural barriers further complicate the situation. Afghan students often face discrimination and bullying in schools, leading to feelings of isolation. For instance, Zahra, a 13-year-old Afghan girl in Kerman, reported to this analyst that she had been harassed by classmates, which ultimately caused her to leave school. Additionally, infrastructure deficiencies, such as overcrowded classrooms, particularly in urban areas with high refugee populations, exacerbate the problem. A report by Khabar Online stated that some schools in Tehran have to accommodate more than 50 students per classroom, with Afghan children comprising nearly half.
Several countries offer models that Iran could draw upon to improve refugee education. Turkey has integrated 700,000 Syrian refugee children into its public schools, offering accelerated learning programs and language support classes.
Germany’s refugee education model emphasizes integration through preparatory classes and mentoring programs. Surveys by the OECD show that 85 percent of refugee children in Germany transition successfully to mainstream education after completing preparatory programs. Iran could adopt similar models to enhance Afghan students’ socio-cultural inclusion. In Jordan, double-shift schools have enabled Syrian refugees to access education without overwhelming existing infrastructure. Iran could experiment with this approach in densely populated refugee areas.
Simplifying documentation requirements would extend automatic enrollment rights to all refugee children and could potentially bring an additional 200,000 Afghan children into the formal education system.
Financial support mechanisms such as scholarships and subsidies for Afghan students should be offered through collaboration with NGOs. It would also be useful to establishing local organizations as a pilot in providing small stipends to Afghan families for school-related expenses.
Gender-sensitive approaches, such as awareness campaigns and enrollment incentives for girls, should also be implemented. The city of Yazd represents a successful grassroots effort, where Afghan community leaders partnered with local women’s groups to advocate for girls’ education, leading to a 20 percent increase in female enrollment in 2022.
Curriculum development is also essential to incorporate Afghan history and culture into textbooks, promoting inclusivity and representation. Persian educational journals such as Roshd recommend multicultural curricula in schools with high Afghan student populations to foster greater understanding and reduce instances of discrimination.
Education is a cornerstone for integration and empowerment. Iran’s initiatives for Afghan students demonstrate progress, but gaps in accessibility, affordability, and inclusivity remain. With policy reforms, Iran can further align its efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and the 2025 International Education Day missions of promoting inclusive and equitable education to achieve lasting peace. Investing in education for Afghan refugees not only secures their future but also promotes regional stability and social cohesion. As it marks the International Day of Education, the global community should recognize Iran’s efforts while advocating for continued reforms to ensure education for all.
Maryam Rezaei Zadeh is a Faculty Assistant and Mentor for Persian House, part of the Persian Capstone year-long program at the Persian Flagship Program, University of Maryland, and a contributor to the Middle East Perspectives program at the Stimson Center. Her research and academic interests lie at the intersection of international security and relations, focusing on empowering and advocating for women’s and marginalized groups’ rights in the Middle East.