TEHRAN – The distinguished Iranian educator Samineh Baghcheban passed away in Tehran on September 17 at the age of 97.

The funeral ceremony of Samineh Baghcheban, children’s writer and pioneer in the education of deaf children, was held on Friday, September 19 with the presence of a number of former students of the Baghcheban School for the Deaf, which she had managed after her father Jabbar Baghcheban’s passing in 1966. Her body was buried in the Section for Notable People in Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery, south of Tehran, IRNA reported.

On her passing, the Minister of Education issued a message of condolence. “The late Baghcheban, with tireless efforts and love for knowledge and education, like her esteemed father, was a guiding light for past and future generations,” Alireza Kazemi said.

“She left behind enduring worldly and spiritual contributions not only in the field of education for the deaf but also in all aspects of children’s and adolescents’ learning and development, which will always be remembered,” he added.

“In addition to her educational activities, the late Baghcheban was a worthy and inspiring role model for teachers and educators, always emphasizing the importance of love for learning and striving to raise students’ awareness,” the minister stated.

“Her positive and hopeful spirit, efforts to overcome challenges and problems, honesty, courage, and promotion of human values were among the special characteristics of this distinguished lady,” Kazemi noted.

Samineh Baghcheban was not just a teacher — she was a cultural pioneer. Her leadership, teaching, writing, translation, and involvement in establishing institutions for the deaf all testify to her brilliance, perseverance, and commitment. She proved that children’s literature is not merely for entertainment, but a tool for the cultural and social development of future generations. She is a role model for women who wish to play an active role in social and cultural arenas.

Her well-known father, Mirza Jabbar Asgarzadeh, famously known as Jabbar Baghcheban, established the first Iranian kindergarten and the first school for deaf children in Tabriz. He was also the inventor of Persian language cued speech.

The first kindergarten he established was called “Baghche-ye Atfal,” which means “children's garden”. That is why he was given the nickname baghcheban, which literally means 'gardener' in the Persian language.

He founded a school for the deaf in 1924, located next to his kindergarten. In 1928, he wrote the first Iranian children's book in Persian, titled “Baba Barfi,” which means “snow father” in Persian.

Jabbar Baghcheban founded the school for deaf children, and later, her daughter Samineh took over leadership of the school and served until 1979. She worked hard for deaf children and helped expand deaf education to other cities.

Samineh Baghchehban was born in Tabriz, northwest of Iran. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at Teachers College, Tehran, and was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to continue her studies in the United States. She received her Master’s degree from Smith College in 1953, and a scholarship for students from the Middle East was established in her name at Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton, MA.

She dedicated more than six decades of her life to teaching, teacher training, developing the Baghcheban method of teaching Persian to both Iranians and non-Iranians, writing elementary school textbooks that were used throughout Iran, and writing children’s books for both hearing and deaf children.

Her publications include numerous textbooks, professional papers, and articles in Iranian journals. She also translated several books from English to Persian.

SS/SAB