In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Now that the country's schools are re-opened after a great Islamic struggle, I would like to thank all the dear school pupils and university students, teachers, instructors and professors. May God grant them success. In addition, I would like to express my gratitude to the Education Ministry employees and workers. I deem it necessary to remind you of the point that this Revolution will continue until the materialization of the ultimate goal, which is the severance of the hands of the US, USSR, Britain and the rest of the exploitative governments.
My beloved children! Now you should take greater efforts in order to irrigate this sapling of the country's freedom and independence. Your future ahead is onerous. If you are fully armed with strong Islamic and revolutionary knowledge, piety and wisdom, you will be assured of a certain victory. And if, God forbid, at this stage, you prove to be negligent, you will be held responsible for it. Never allow a coterie rule over you as in the past bitter days of tyranny. Do not forget the Islamic principle of democracy.
Today, the Iranian nation staged an uprising, achieved successes, and has shaken both internal and external traitors without leaning toward the left or right; these elements are lurking, as they had in the past, to annihilate you. For this very reason, you must endeavor to bring into existence through your unity an Islamic society wherein everybody can express his ideas freely.
I consider myself fortunate that the circumstances have totally shifted in favor of our oppressed nation. The same responsibility and commitment that had necessitated your staging strikes and demonstrations during the past months now make it expedient for you to resume your educational task with complete seriousness in a peaceful environment. Yesterday, foreign elements were aiming at breaking up the strikes, and now that you are witnessing that the trend in the country is heading toward a just Islamic government, these elements are standing against the noble revolutionary Islamic movement with pseudo-revolutionary slogans.
I am asking all of you to go back to school from today, the first of Esfand 1357 AHS [February 20,1979] and become the revolutionary and Islamic soldiers of the future. May God be your helper and supporter. It is necessary that you take note of the following points:
1. The key to our victory was unity of expression. With absolute humility, I want you to bury your differences, think of something constructive, and refrain from any kind of discord because termites destroy everything good or bad.
2. Educational books, whether primary, secondary or university ones, must have fundamental changes and purged of any materials and pictures which serve the interests of colonialism and exploitation and be replaced by Islamic and revolutionary lessons that will awaken children and bring them up independent and free.
3. Education and training throughout Iran should be cleansed of any traces of colonial culture. Create an environment where our children will be trained to become lion cubs that will always stand behind the fronts of resistance against America, Zionism and other eastern and western plunderers. Rest assured that Khomeini will be with you in the trenches until the colonials' roots, left or right, are destroyed. The Islamic mission of every Muslim individual continues until death. I pin my hopes on you. May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.