Strategic Planning and Financial Stewardship Pave the Way for Enhanced Educator Welfare
In a keynote address during the second day of the national conference for education department heads, Ali Farhadi, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, outlined a comprehensive vision centered on strategic planning and fiscal responsibility as the cornerstones of progress for the nation’s education system.
The Imperative of Meticulous Planning
Farhadi emphasized that the Ministry’s Planning Deputy views strategic planning not merely as an administrative task, but as the essential tool for shaping the future. “While planning is a difficult task, nothing is more important than it,” he stated. “A failure to plan is to design a path to failure.” He underscored this point by drawing a parallel to military operations, noting that a lack of precision in information and planning can lead to not only failure but also significant, irreversible losses.
Operational Discipline and Equitable Distribution
The spokesperson detailed a new, structured approach to mission management, with tasks being categorized visually. He called on regional heads to pay close attention to this new framework, stating that a thorough study of this information is essential for the planning system to function effectively.
A significant portion of the address focused on the principles of equitable resource distribution. Farhadi firmly stated that the distribution of welfare facilities must be based on fair and transparent indicators, not on individual lobbying or bargaining. “Although some colleagues may be more skilled in pursuing matters, we are obliged to ensure a fair distribution,” he affirmed. He also highlighted the need for close cooperation between the Planning Deputy, IT security, and oversight units to streamline operations and prevent corruption, with performance evaluation units providing continuous feedback.
Financial Prudence and Infrastructure Development
Farhadi announced the unveiling of the 2025 operational plan book and three other guiding documents. He laid out strict directives for financial management, insisting that projects without a proper research foundation must be avoided and that unfinished projects should be the absolute priority. “No new project should be started until the current one is completed,” he directed, adding that all activities must have clear objectives and be subject to continuous personal supervision by managers. Compliance with laws is mandatory, and creating financial commitments beyond available resources must be prevented.
Tangible Gains for Education Personnel
The address culminated with a report on significant, tangible improvements achieved for education staff through effective financial management. Farhadi reported that the Ministry has made substantial strides in addressing the welfare of its employees.
A landmark achievement is the significant salary increase for 23,000 service procurement personnel, whose minimum wage was raised from 4.3 million tomans to 13 million tomans, representing a major transformation in the payment system.
Other key accomplishments include:
- The timely payment of end-of-service bonuses, with over 60% of the 2024 bonuses paid ahead of schedule, while also addressing arrears from previous years.
- The accurate and swift adjustment of salaries for service personnel.
- The first-ever provision for bi-annual end-of-service bonus payments.
- The timely payment of a one-ninth bonus for teachers with extra teaching hours.
- The launch of the ‘Teacher Appreciation Card’ in cooperation with Export Bank, which has been issued to over one million individuals. The card provides access to interest-free loans worth up to ten times the amount of any welfare deposit.
- The successful launch of a web-based payment system, making the Ministry a pioneer in transparent and efficient salary disbursement among national executive bodies.
Budgetary Success and a Forward Look
On budgetary performance, Farhadi reported that based on strong documentation aligned with the 7th Development Plan and the Fundamental Transformation Document, the Ministry succeeded in getting 480 thousand billion tomans of its 795 thousand billion tomans request approved. Furthermore, it reduced its 2024 debt from 73 thousand billion tomans to under 29 thousand billion tomans, demonstrating highly efficient financial stewardship. The educational per capita budget has also seen remarkable growth, rising from less than 2,000 billion tomans in 2023 to over 11,000 billion tomans in 2024.
Farhadi concluded that by adhering to these principles of precise planning, operational discipline, and financial prudence, the Ministry is firmly on track to achieve its defined goals for the national education system.
