Police Entry into Schools and the Formal Alliance Between the Ministry of Education and Law Enforcement
Memorandum of Understanding Between Alireza Kazemi (Minister of Education) and Ahmadreza Radan (Commander of Law Enforcement Forces):
Date: April 20, 2025 / Farvardin 31, 1404
Location: Schools across Iran
According to a report published by IRNA on April 21 (Ordibehesht 1), a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Law Enforcement Command, granting security forces the authority to directly enter and intervene in schools across the country.
As outlined in the report, “The purpose of the agreement between the police and the Ministry of Education is to promote and expand social order and discipline, enhance the security and social well-being of students and educational staff, prevent emerging social harms and risky behaviors, develop counseling and social work services for teachers, students, and their families, and to cooperate in ensuring security and preventing harm and crime through mutual consultation and expertise based on the new approach to social policymaking.”
In practice, however, the provisions of this agreement enable law enforcement to participate in shaping school curricula, implement security operations within educational environments, monitor students, and assist in the enforcement of judicial rulings against both teachers and students—even outside school grounds.
During the signing ceremony, the Minister of Education addressed the Police Commander and stated: “I am General Radan’s soldier,” a declaration that clearly signals the collapse of educational independence and its transformation into a tool of state repression.
Although the government claims the goal of this agreement is to “establish order and security” and “prevent social harm,” the content of the memorandum and existing evidence reveal that the real aim is to instill fear, enforce control, and suppress students in schools.
This move constitutes a blatant violation of the fundamental right to free, safe, and fear-free education, as enshrined in international legal instruments such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 13) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Articles 28 and 29).
It is also important to note that Ahmad Reza Radan, the police commander involved in this agreement, is under sanctions by the European Union, the United States, and Canada for grave human rights violations.
Call for Urgent Action
Iran HRM expresses deep concern over this alarming development and urges international bodies, child rights organizations, and teachers’ unions around the world to:
- Condemn this memorandum as a violation of the right to free education and a safe learning environment
- Demand its immediate annulment and the withdrawal of security forces from Iranian schools
- Defend the right of students, teachers, and families to peaceful protest
Education must not be used as a tool of repression. Schools must remain sanctuaries for growth, awareness, and freedom of thought.
