Iran’s top university, Sanati Sharif, has announced that there will be no co-ed classes for first-year students starting this September.
Iran’s Ministry of Science and Technology has issued several statements in recent months regarding the virtues of separating of the sexes in universities.
According to Mehr News Agency, the head of Sanati Sharif University, Reza Roustazadeh, said: “When students enter the university from high schools, they experience a shock, which even leads families to seek assistance from us. Therefore, we have considered making some changes to the programs offered for first-year students.”
He added that the separation of male and female university students will be implemented as fully as university resources permit.
He added that university years are the optimal age for marriage; therefore, Sanati Sharif is also considering measures and programs to encourage matrimony.
Iran’s higher education system has been undergoing several changes in the past year in an attempt to make it more compatible with Islamic principles. Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to universities as a root of unrest in Iranian society following the mass protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election.
