Production of "We Defend Our Iran" Educational-Learning Packages

According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Office of the Educational Research and Planning Organization (ERPO), Ali Latifi, Deputy Minister and Head of the ERPO, in an interview with a news channel, discussed the design of the "We Defend Our Iran" educational-learning packages. He stated: "These packages are designed with the goal of presenting a correct, accurate, and fitting narrative of the 12-day Sacred Defense, and have been produced for each age group with varying levels of language, structure, and activities."

Narrative of the Sacred Defense for Three Age Groups: From a Child's Perspective to Adolescent Analysis

Latifi added: "The first package, for the second cycle of primary school (grades four to five), presents a story-based narrative for children, explaining the concept of 'defending Iran' to their small yet perceptive eyes through simple language and engaging imagery. The second package, for the first cycle of secondary school (grades seven to nine), and the third package, for the second cycle of secondary school (grades ten to twelve), are specifically tailored for adolescents and include analysis, historical context, narrative documentaries, and true accounts of bravery."

Shifting from Narrative-Centric to Activity-Centric Approaches

In this interview, he explained: "In these packages, we have tried to move away from mere narration and shift towards activity-oriented, analytical, and group-based work. The student must be involved in the learning process, make decisions, analyze, and reconstruct the narrative themselves."

Special Packages on the Narrative of the 12-Day War: A Complement to Textbooks, Not a Replacement

Emphasizing that these packages do not replace textbooks, a member of the Supreme Council of Education stated: "Textbooks have a permanent place, but for events such as the 12-day Sacred Defense, special, short-term, and effective packages must be designed."

Intellectual Diversity with a Common Red Line: Iran

He cited the broad participation of institutions, elites, and a panel of experts as one of the important features in the design and production of these packages, saying: "In developing these packages, we invited writers with diverse intellectual leanings. Our only common denominator was a sense of belonging to Iran and a belief in an Islamic Iran. This diversity resulted in a national and multi-vocal perspective prevailing in the work."

Simple Language for Children, Analysis and Documentation for Adolescents; Design Suited to Age and Needs

Latifi, noting that the initial texts were produced through a crowdsourcing approach, added: "More than 80 to 90 initial texts were prepared, but based on pedagogical principles, narrative coherence, and suitability for different ages, they were revised and synthesized to create the final product."

In response to a question about the package's status next year, the Head of the Educational Research and Planning Organization also said: "This package is specifically for this year, and next year, new content will be designed according to the circumstances, events, and educational needs. We believe that in the realm of appropriate education, live and up-to-date content should be produced, not a repetition of the previous year's packages."