Mandatory Premarital Education Under Review

The proposal for mandatory marriage and relationship education (MRE) is being reviewed at the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution.

“Once the council approves the general outlines, it will be sent to the Majlis (parliament) and the Cabinet,” said Abbasali Allahyari, head of the Psychology and Counseling Organization of Iran.

The proposal was first made in 2014 by the Office for Youth Affairs at the Ministry of Sports and Youths Affairs, to help lay the foundation for a successful and healthy marital life. The office prepared and finalized a national plan for premarital education, and presented it to the judiciary for review last July, IRNA reported.

Improving personal, social, and economic skills have also been incorporated into the national scheme.

Premarital counseling and education can help enhance individuals’ core relationship skills by offering an opportunity to assess potential conflict areas stemming from different views on a myriad of subjects; better understand how personality and family history can influence a relationship; strengthen communication and conflict resolution skills; and openly discuss views on family, infidelity and divorce.

The divorce to marriage ratio in Iran was 15.4%, 16.3%, 18.1%, 20.1%, and 22.6% in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. Currently, divorce rates hover around 25%, or one in every four marriages.

The fact that most divorces happen within the first five years of marriage, signifies a clear lack of understanding and compatibility between couples or the expectations before starting a shared life.

  Most Couples Resist

But premarital education can help. Global research shows that premarital preparation courses can help reduce the likelihood of divorce by 30%. Despite these compelling statistics, most people are resistant and too often couples view it as an unnecessary and tedious chore, rather than a privilege.

Premarital preparation is one of the most powerful tools for ensuring that relationships and love between couples last throughout a lifetime as studies have found that MRE can increase communication and reduce marital discord and conflict.

Once approved and implemented, around 750,000 couples who tie the knot every year will be covered under the project, which also seeks to include married couples wanting counseling.

“The educational protocol of the plan can be practiced at the counseling centers across the country authorized by our organization,” Allahyari said.

Deputy Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mohammadreza Rostami had said last June that he expected the proposal to be put into effect by the end of the current calendar year in March.