Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in his May Day speech last Wednesday in Tehran to a gathering of teachers on the occasion of Teachers’ Week commemorating the martyrdom anniversary of Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari, called on the Iranian people to be on alert against the battle formations of the enemies who are pursuing the dubious 2030 Agenda at the educational institutions for training and recruiting foot soldiers in the future for the US and Britain.
Now we have the first part of the 2-part analysis of his memorable speech.
Ayatollah Khamenei as usual expressed gratitude to God Almighty for His Infinite Favours, and saluted the Last and Greatest Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). Next he greeted the Infallible Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, especially the Lord of the Age, Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance for establishment of the global government of peace, prosperity, and justice.
He welcomed the audience and felicitated them on the National Teachers’ Day and Week. He then said: “This gathering is significant in a number of ways: one is that it is about our most important civilizational matter which is education. Another reason is that Teachers’ Day basically commemorates martyrs and martyrdom, and there are different other reasons which I will draw on during my speech. Our dear martyr, the late Professor Motahhari (may God bless him) was a sympathetic teacher in the true sense of the word. He would think well, speak well and pursue matters well. He did not speak just for the sake of fulfilling a duty. We used to see him up close, how sympathetically he would try to instill deep Islamic thoughts in the minds of the youths of those days – despite all the restrictions that existed. And he was martyred for that very reason. This is the important point. That martyrdom was the definitive signature of Allah the Exalted on the report card of that dear martyr.
“Teachers are really an honourable and esteemed group of people. The reason is that human resources are the most important resource of every country, every civilization and every nation. If you have money without good and efficient human resources, you will get nowhere, like many of the rich countries that you see around you. Notice how they spend their money and what kind of people have access to it. Their large money-filled pockets are shamelessly made available to the treacherous hands against humanity. How has this happened? This is because they have money, but they do not have manpower. They have money, but they do not have thinkers and human resources. Their human resources are poor. If we have many underground resources without human resources, this will be of no avail.”
The Leader said: “Our country used to sleep on a sea of oil, but we did not know of it, nor did we know how to use it. What was the result? The result was that those who knew about it and who knew how to utilize it dominated our oil resources. They used to take away our oil to build their own civilization, set up their own factories and benefit from it to ensure their victory in the war that had broken out in those days. And they used to give us very little out of that source. This was how things were during the time of evil regime. This is the result of not investing in human resources.
“Well, at the present time, you are producing these human resources. Notice how significant your work is. You are cultivating and preparing human resources. I am not interested in complimenting others for no good reason. What I have been saying, in the course of the past years, about the role of teachers and students or the role of teachers and the educational system originates from this sentiment. It originates from the belief that teachers have such a role. In fact, you are the founders of the new civilization. This is because without efficient manpower, there will be no civilization. You are warriors in a battle against ignorance and illiteracy. Notice that you bring children and teenagers from the land of illiteracy and darkness to the land of light and knowledge and you do so by fighting. This is a difficult job.
“You are actually creating cultural identity. Creating identity is very important. It is very important to create identity in a society. Humans should have a sense of identity. Our identity lies in our culture, our knowledge and our lifestyle. Civilization depends on culture. If there is a lack of strong and rich culture, there will be no civilization in the common and ordinary sense of the word. What is culture? It means all the elements which constitute one’s thinking and action. This is what culture is. Where does it come from? Culture depends on thinking, on intellect and on a worldview: in other words, the way we interpret the world, the universe, existence and the like. This is the main basis of culture and the main basis of civilization.
Ayatollah Khamenei said in clear words: “My dear ones, pay attention: in particular, the dear and honourable officials who are present should pay careful attention. This is where the significance of the 2030 Education Agenda becomes clear. The main gist and kernel of the 2030 Education Agenda, which has an important chapter about education, is that the educational system should teach the lifestyle and the philosophy of life to children on the basis of western principles. This is the gist of the 2030 Education Agenda. What does this signify? It signifies that you pious people, you who are interested in your country and your future – should train soldiers for the west in your classroom!
“When they place so much emphasis on the Education Agenda and when they explicitly and implicitly try to impose it on other countries – including our country – this is what it means. The instructions, recommendations and main points of this agenda specify that the educational system should shape students’ thought system in a way that their philosophy and concept of life will be molded according to the western philosophy. As I mentioned, they want you to recruit soldiers for Britain, France, the US and the rest of those tie-wearing, perfumed, shallow savages. They are the same people who kill others and who assist assassins without a frown on their faces.
“When they ask them why they help the Saudis, they answer, “We help them because we need their money.” They know what the Saudis are doing in Yemen, but they are helping them anyway! They want to sit and watch us in Iran and in Asian countries – West Asian, Islamic and other such countries – train soldiers, advocates and subjects for them. This is what the 2030 Education Agenda is all about.
“A point which should definitely receive attention is that the society of teachers has accomplished great feats over the past 40 years of the Revolution. They have carried out fruitful tasks. You should pay careful attention. There are some individuals who wish to portray the educational system as valueless for different political reasons. This is unfair and it is untrue. Of course, I am aware of the existing shortcomings in the educational system. I am aware of the gap between the current educational system and the ideal one, but I am also aware of the gap between the current educational system and the despicable one that existed before the Revolution.”
The Leader said: “Following triumph of the Islamic Revolution – over the past 40 years – the educational system has accomplished great feats. The various scientists who helped your country to be among the first five countries in the world in the area of nanotechnology were cultivated in the educational system. The third and fourth generations of the Revolution who have not seen the Late Imam Khomeini, neither our prominent martyrs nor the eight-year Holy Defence Era, today stand firm and powerful in the face of the enemy. They insist on defending the holy shrines of the Ahl al-Bayt and they manage to do so. One is martyred, but dozens of them return safe. The motivation to do jihad is not a minor achievement. Who has educated them? The educational system. And it has done so in such a world. That you build youth like this in the world of the internet, in the world of different moral perversions and in the world of satellite. This is a magnificent accomplishment!
“Who has organized these jihadi camps? What kind of individuals participate in them? It is the youth who participate in them. It is the educational system which has educated them. So many scientific breakthroughs have been made in the country and there are so many symbols and signs of true piety in society. I have said many times that today’s youth live with the Holy Qur’an, with the famous Nudbah Supplication (of early Friday mornings), with the blessed fasting month of Ramadhan, with tears, supplications and reliance on God and by marching on foot to holy Karbala and the like.
“Before the Revolution, when did these ideas exist? We have so many student martyrs. We have several thousand student martyrs. We have a large number of martyred teachers. Who educated those martyred students? It was teachers who did so. It was our educational system that did so. You should not underestimate the post-revolutionary educational system. It has done a lot in different eras.
“Of course, shortcomings exist. As I mentioned, there are many shortcomings and flaws. We are working hard and by Allah’s favor and grace, we will eliminate these shortcomings and flaws. We will reach the ideal point regarding the educational system, God willing. The nation will reach that point. When I say that “we” will do so, I do not mean this humble person and other such individuals because we are no ones. When I say, “we”, I mean that this nation, this group of people and this system will help the educational system reach the desired level.”
“Notice that this is the ideal point that we want to reach: the educational system should cultivate individuals who are wise, capable, intellectual, pious, religious, moral, efficient, creative, courageous and active. They should not be afraid of the enemy and of threats and they should not be stagnant and negligent. You should educate such individuals. If this happens, then our country will reach the point that I mentioned and promised. And by Allah’s favour, it will reach that point. In a few decades – on that day, I said that in 50 years – we will have reached a point where everyone who wishes to have access to new scientific borders will have to learn Farsi. Cultivating such individuals and such youth is the main pillar for the future respectable Iran. This is the main pillar for the new Islamic civilization.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Now, I would like to offer some recommendations. The first is about the transformation plan. I received a written report on this matter as well. The plan is like building a railway. It can help the educational system reach the desired destination. We should strive to make this happen. Well, they said they have issued a formal notice to organizations in charge. This is true, but issuing a notice is not enough. This is merely the first step.
“We must strive to implement this plan. Last year, I said that you should strive to make the educational system read, understand and digest this plan, so much so that they realize what you want to do in the educational system. The plan is a very good one, but it requires follow-up and work. The first thing that is necessary – it is actually the main need for this movement – is having a revolutionary spirit.
“God will not forgive those who try to weaken the revolutionary spirit in our people and our youth with their pens and with their words! The Revolution was achieved thanks to the lives that were laid down on this path. It was the Revolution that managed to liberate the country from the scourge of a government that had seized power in our country with the support of foreigners and that was working for them.
“My dear ones, the Pahlavi regime, which was overthrown by the Revolution, had two kings: Reza Khan and Mohammad Reza. Reza Khan was installed by the English and Mohammad Reza was put in power with the help of the English and the Americans. How is the relationship between a government that comes to power with the help of foreign hands and its people and how is the relationship between this government and those foreigners? Reza Khan – was brought to power by the English. Later on, when the war broke out, because of the trouble that Hitler used to stir and because his nature and temper was like that of Hitler, Reza Khan leaned towards the Germans. He wanted German architects and engineers to enter the country.
“These things made the English angry. They themselves had brought him to power and they ordered him to leave- and he did so. Well, there is no greater humiliation for a country and a nation to have someone at the top who is brought to power by the English and who has to leave when they grow tired of him and he has to obey!
“Very well, the English sent a message saying that you should leave. If you were a real man, if you were a true human being and if there was a tinge of pride in you, you would have refused, even if they were to kill you. But he did not do so! Instead, he went to visit Mohammad Ali Forughi - who was an English agent who acted as a go-between – telling him he was ready to leave. They provided him with a car, drove him to Isfahan. And then he travelled to the sea where they made him board the ship and took him away. Is there a greater humiliation than this for a nation?”
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