TEHRAN—The Deputy Minister of Handicrafts has said the training field in handicrafts has been handed over to the private sector and the permit for launching specialized handicrafts schools are only issued for top artisans.

Maryam Jalali told IRNA that the process of issuing permit for top artisans has been conducted in licensing system and will be unveiled in Handicrafts Week.

She said transferring training to the private sector by granting licenses can be effective in promoting the training, which is considered the foundation of development. 

Until now, technical and vocational centers or art schools did not consider educational standards based on cultural heritage and handicrafts, but by handing over the field of training to the private sector and artists, the level of education will become standardized and of high quality, she added. 

Jalali said there are 3,000 top artisans across the country, adding that the regulations for establishing handicraft schools are issued in the same way as the regulations for handicraft houses. All top artisans can establish handicrafts school, she mentioned. If they don’t have capital, someone can work with them as an investor and they can work as the technical director of the school, she added.

She explained that tariffs for handicrafts vary, and tariffs are part of the regulations. 

Asked about whether training is still provided free of charge in technical and vocational centers, said: “There is still supportive training and technical and vocational education is subject to the law of supply and demand. We have a memorandum of understanding with the Technical and Vocational Center to recognize all handicraft training in the provinces. Handicraft training is free in some centers such as the Abkar House and the Carpet Museum.”

She added that those interested in learning handicrafts fields in Tehran, can refer Tehran Cultural Heritage Department and become informed of the places in which handicrafts fields are trained free of charge. 

KD