Ghodrat Azadi, a representative of a group of faculty members from Farhangian University, who have been forced into retirement for over a year, spoke about the uncertainty and livelihood problems faced by this group of professors. He stated: "On September 13, we protested for the eighteenth time against the continuation of uncertainty and illegal and forced retirement. To this day, despite the promises made to us, nothing has happened and we have not received any salaries for over a year."
Frequent gatherings and protests
Azadi continued: "In the last gathering held in front of the International Legal Center of the President and the Ministry of Education, we protested against the non-implementation of the opinion of the Legal Deputy and the order of the First Vice President. We are protesting why the Ministry of Education and Farhangian University do not pay attention to the orders of their higher authority." According to him, the Legal Deputy of the Presidency has expressed and communicated its opinion in support of the continuation of service for these professors on three occasions, and based on these opinions, the First Vice President has also issued an order for action.
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Livelihood problems and economic pressure
Azadi referred to the livelihood situation of the professors and said: "About 320 faculty members of the university were illegally retired last year, disregarding the resolution of the Board of Trustees from 2017. Some of these professors ultimately had to apply for retirement, while others have been in uncertainty without receiving salaries for over a year." He also added: "Professors who were forced to accept retirement now receive a meager salary. I know that one of these professors, with a salary of 25 million tomans, has sold his daughter's gold in the first two months and in the third month, his wife's sewing machine to cope with daily living expenses!"
He criticized the current situation and said: "Where in the world is a university professor treated in such a way that they have to sell their household items to make ends meet?! This retirement salary is even less than that of a newly hired teacher." Azadi concluded by stating: "In a situation where all wage earners, including employees, workers, retirees, professors, and teachers, cannot make ends meet even with timely salaries, 300 faculty members of Farhangian University have not received any salaries for over a year; all their protests have led to nothing."
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