Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Hassan Najafi ¹
• Samaneh farahani ²

¹ Department of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran.

² Department of Curriculum Planning, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Qom Branch

Abstract

This study sought to identify infertile elements in religious education at the upper secondary level. Using a qualitative survey method, researchers interviewed 48 humanities-track students in Qom through purposive and systematic approaches. The findings revealed several shortcomings in religious education content. These included repetitive topics such as the purpose of creation, resurrection, and prayer; stereotypical themes like hijab and freedom or the necessity of resurrection; and complex, hard-to-understand concepts such as divine predestination and the occultation of the Imam. Students also encountered conflicting messages (e.g., about human creation), gender-insensitive material (e.g., roles and characteristics, marriage preparation), and content with limited practical relevance to daily life—such as despair over the afterlife, political ideologies, and European history. Additionally, the curriculum included both overly general and highly specific topics, like the barriers to achieving goals, hijab in other religions, temporary marriage rulings, and free will, which students found disconnected from their mental concerns. Other issues included lack of engagement with students’ actual cognitive and emotional interests—such as distant eschatological themes or historical events with little resonance for them. These elements collectively signify the infertility of the religious curriculum. If left unaddressed, this infertility can lead to reduced student interest, prevent the meaningful internalization of religious teachings, and ultimately undermine the development and strengthening of students’ religious identity.

Keywords

• Religion
• religious teachings
• content infertility
• upper secondary school
• humanities students