"Seek knowledge from cradle to grave", said our prophet (P.B.U.H.) addressing all men and women; and the principle of equality of men and women, embodied in the national Constitution, provides the ground for educating women to the extent of their ability. Women's literacy rate, in the Islamic Republic of Iran is rising. Older women, living in urban an rural areas, who were denied education in their younger days are enthusiastically enrolling in literacy classes.

Based on the 1986 population survey, more than 52.1% (9,835,399 people) of the Iranian women are literate; in 1976 this percentage was only 35.5. In the 1990-91 academic year 6,640,275 Iranian girls attended school at various pre-university levels. In the 1986-87 academic year, women constituted more than 15% (2150 persons) of university and college professors. In the same year, 33% of all college graduates were women.