Iran bans English from being taught in primary schools

Iran bans English from being taught in primary schools

Iran has banned teaching the English language in primary schools, calling the subject a "cultural invasion".

The education ministry "envisages strengthening Persian language skills and Iranian Islamic culture of pupils at the primary school stage", its secretary told state media.

English is a foreign language option for many at secondary level, which begins at the age of 12, but its popularity has led to classes being offered by some schools much earlier.

"Teaching of foreign languages has not been recommended by any means" at primary level, Mehdi Navid-Adham, secretary of the Supreme Education Council, told the state-run IRIB news agency.

"These remarks do not mean terminating English language teaching at schools, but the main issue is to know our rival and how precisely the opposite party has made planning to influence the country's future generation," he said.