Learning to Live Together in Iranian National Curriculum for Primary Schools: An Examination of School's Curriculum Based on UNESCO's Framework

This study aims to examine the concept of learning to live together in Iran's national curriculum for primary schools and determining the extent to which school's curriculum is emphasized on this concept with particular reference to peace and multicultural education as two important components of learning to live together framework. Using content analysis as a platform for data collection, however, textbooks were analyzed based on nine conceptual elements which could cover all dimensions of peace education and multicultural education. Purposefully we focused on three textbooks in grades 4 and 5 which seemed to be the most relevant subjects to the research field of study. These consisted of reading and writing, civic education and religious studies. In order to examine the extent to which textbooks are emphasizing learning to live together, both quantitative and qualitative measures were applied. The findings revealed although Iran has been privileged as a multicultural country but due to its highly centralized educational system ruled by hardliners the textbooks are not paying attention to cultural diversification of the country importantly while they have highlighted the country' formal religion, attractiveness of its environment and different climates. Additionally although, the textbooks have emphasized on courageousness and self-sacrifice for the nation but encouraging peaceful solutions for conflicts and disagreements has not been emphasized as it is expected.