Proposal for Primary Education or Higher Education

The book Proposal for Primary Education or Higher Education (Familiarity with the Future Journal Proposal) includes an introduction with eight articles written by intellectuals such as Seyyed Hassan Taghizadeh, Mirza Abolhassan Foroughi, Mirza Isa Khan Sediq, Moshref Nafisi, and Habibollah Khan. The introduction, titled A Historical Introduction to the Emergence of Higher Education in Iran, extensively discusses the education institution and, more broadly, the institution building of the Qajar era, from Dar al-Funun to Dar ol-Moallemin. It states that the encounter with modernity challenged previous educational systems. Until the middle of the Qajar period, efforts were made to maintain and preserve existing educational and scientific systems while also establishing new educational and scientific systems in line with Iranians’ love of knowledge and religious encouragement of seeking knowledge. Initially, sending students abroad was an attempt to transfer new education and knowledge. This government-led initiative exemplified usual state intervention in education.