Want A Government Job In Iran? Buy A Degree

The scandal over Iran's interior minister, Ali Kordan, who was dismissed by parliament for forging a degree, continues to chug along.

The Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today warned against undermining the government and said that God will not forgive people for criticizing the government.

RFE/RL's former Iran analyst Bill Samii wrote an interesting piece in 2005 about the phenomenon in Iran known as "degree-ism" or "credentialism," "which is an excessive emphasis on formal educational qualifications in employment."

"Some see a higher degree as an entree to a higher position and the commensurate increase in salary, benefits, and prestige. Others just want a higher degree to satisfy their egos," he writes.

It goes some way in explaining Kordan's motives.

-- Luke Allnutt