If the general belief is that the best create the best, the social status of teachers will gain extraordinary importance. Teaching refers to any effort made to guide, develop, and educate humans. Among all educational and training factors, the role of the teacher as the most important factor in the education and training system has a significant position and importance. Teachers play a very important role in the growth and development of students. The value of teaching varies in different countries. In developed countries, there is a special value for the position of teachers. Investing in education is a key factor in the development process, which has been reflected since the 1960s. This period of investment has led to an increase in skills and the necessary awareness and movement for economic and social development. In Germany, the salaries of teachers are higher than those of public doctors, which had caused protests from public doctors. Angela Merkel had responded to this issue by saying, “It is these teachers who train doctors.” This issue shows the value of

Comparative study or investigation is a practical process in which two or more phenomena are placed side by side and their aspects are analyzed. The purpose of this report is to compare the position of teachers in Iran with other countries.

The status of every job determines the nature of the interactions and society’s expectations from the workers, and helps them in building social interactions. In different countries, each job has its own special status and people can distinguish between high and low status jobs. People admire high status jobs, seek help from them, or aspire to become like them. If attention is paid to the factors affecting the social status of teachers and efforts are made to address these factors, undoubtedly it will have a positive impact on education. Research has shown that the more teachers feel their profession is valued, the better their morale becomes. And the higher the teacher’s morale, the more positive the classroom atmosphere becomes, leading to student participation, positive and intimate relationships between them, and ultimately to more effort and dedication. According to Ralph Linton, social status is a special position in the social system. Some other sociologists consider social status equal to respect or status. Bruce Cohen believes that social status is the social position of an individual in a

Research shows that by examining social power, livelihood, and social status, teaching is considered to have a relatively high position in Asia, especially in China and most European countries. However, in Iran, the position of teachers is relatively lower and average compared to advanced Asian and European countries. In general, the high position of a quality teacher has a direct relationship with the outcome of schools and society. The impact of education and training, which is led by teachers, is clearly evident in advanced countries, and the high attention given to teachers and this profession is a valid testimony to this claim. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has a recommendation for the defense of teachers’ rights and has also designated a day as Teacher’s Day, but the recognition of the position of a teacher does not only occur on one day.

The Iranian society does not hold a high regard for the teaching profession and insufficient individual and social support for teachers has resulted in a lower social status for this profession since the 1990s. Multiple gatherings and protests by teachers in recent decades have shown their dissatisfaction with their living, social, and professional status. In America, 73% of parents encourage their children to become teachers, and in China, 50% of parents do the same. Some attribute the low social status of teachers in Iran to the following reasons:

ان

1- Lack of income for teachers

2- Low social status and credibility of them.

3- The weight of the teaching profession

4- Attraction and Pull Factors of Profit-Making Components

5- Neglecting the teaching profession and not having career advancement.

6- Some people entering this profession are unaware and unprepared.

The financial situation of teachers in Iran and other countries.

According to Mansour Mojaveri, advisor to the Minister of Education, the average salary for teachers in 1397 (2018-2019) was two million and six hundred thousand tomans. Therefore, Iranian teachers earn an annual salary of approximately thirty-one million and two hundred thousand tomans, which, with the exchange rate of thirteen thousand tomans per dollar in 1397, is equivalent to approximately two thousand and four hundred dollars. Currently, in 1400 (2021-2022), this has increased to twenty-six thousand tomans, but their income has not seen a significant increase. The average annual income for teachers in other countries is as follows: America – sixty thousand dollars, Germany – seventy thousand dollars, Canada – seventy-four thousand dollars, China – thirty-six thousand four hundred and forty-six dollars, Turkey – twenty-seven thousand dollars.

In research conducted by Warwick James in 2013, it was found that in South Korea and China, the selection of teachers based on merit results in the selection of qualified teachers, leading to an improvement in the level of education. One of the criticisms of teacher selection in Iran is the existence of selection processes based on ideological and political criteria close to the government, which prevents deserving individuals with different thoughts and activities in the socio-political field from entering the education system, and puts active teachers at risk of dismissal.

Notes:

1- Ebrahimi, Neda, and others, A Comparative Study of Education and Development in Developed and Developing Countries, Strategic Development Journal, Issue 51, Autumn 96.

2- Ghelami, Meysam, and others, a comparative study of the position of teachers in Iran and five leading countries in the field of education, the 2nd International Congress on Community Empowerment in the fields of social sciences, psychology and education.

4- Hashemi, R, the best and worst countries for teachers in terms of salary and the ranking of teachers, the voice of the teacher, 11 August 2020.

5- Comparison of teachers’ salaries in Iran and other countries, Iran Sputnik, May 5, 2018.

6- MirMohammadi, Elham, How much do teachers in different countries earn?, Trade News, 23 Shahrivar 1397.

7- Which countries have the highest and lowest “respect for teachers”? Tasnim, November 26, 2019.