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Higher-level legal documents constitute one of the most important components of the institutional framework of the education system, as they define its overarching orientations, fundamental objectives, scope of authority, responsibilities, rights, and obligations, and, as formal rules, provide the basis for regulating educational policies, programs, and practices. In this context, the mission of the formal and public education system of the Islamic Republic of Iran is defined as “providing systematic and equitable conditions for all members of society to acquire the individual, familial, and collective competencies required to attain an acceptable level of preparedness for realizing the Good Life (Hayat-e Tayyebah) in all its dimensions.” Despite the explicit articulation of this mission and its corresponding objectives in higher-level policy and legal documents, their effective realization depends not merely on the quality of formal rules, but also on institutional coherence, implementation capacity, coordination among institutions and actors, accountability and monitoring mechanisms, policy stability, and the extent to which overarching goals are translated into operational procedures and programs. Adopting an institutional development approach, this study analyzes the missions of the education system as articulated in higher-level legal documents and evaluates the extent to which they have been realized in practice. It seeks to identify and explain the gap between formal objectives and requirements, on the one hand, and existing institutional performance and capacities, on the other. Accordingly, the study examines the factors contributing to the achievements and shortcomings of the education system in fulfilling its stated missions, analyzes the major institutional deficiencies and constraints, and ultimately outlines prospects for institutional transformation. It also proposes approaches to narrowing the gap between “formal rules” and “actual performance,” strengthening institutional capacity, and creating more effective conditions for the realization of the education system’s missions.

Keywords: Education, goals, superior documents, identity

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