Identifying the barriers and challenges for the implementation of the Shahab plan in elementary schools

Purpose: The project of identifying and leading gifted students (Shahab) was implemented between 2014 and 2015 Education Year by the National Elites Foundation in cooperation with Education Ministry in some regions of all provinces of Iran. Methodology: The project’s main goal was to identify, distinguish and guide the gifted students in elementary and junior education and paving the way to support them in higher education. The project will include all regions in all provinces in the coming years. In our research, teachers of fourth grade elementary schools attempted to evaluate and qualify students by using a pre-defined check list. It tried to understand the challenges and impediments of implementing Shahab project in Shahryar, a suburb of Tehran. Using descriptive and survey methods, it investigated the viewpoints of more than 175 teachers (85 males and 90 female) in fourth grade elementary schools. The interviews were elected randomly and the questionnaire included 40 closed questions in 8 fields and recognized the main obstacles of implementing Shahab project. Taking into consideration descriptive statistical indices, the author has used the Chi-square test one-variable and two variables tests in analyzing gathered information. Findings: The findings demonstrated that the male and female teachers have different ideas regarding challenges and obstacles of the Shahab project. Males believed that the main challenges are check list and method of identifying overqualified students on the one hand and the attitudes of parents on the other. This is while the females expressed that education- related issues and execution factors are the main problems. Conclusion: Putting aside the gender factor, it is argued that teachers see the check list and method of identifying gifted students as the main challenges in implementing Shahab project in Shahryar city.