Identifying and Ranking Key Components for Resilient Schools: A Mixed-Methods Study in the Iranian Educational Context

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 4, 983 - 1030, 24.12.2025

Monireh Mokhtarzadeh

https://doi.org/10.30828/real.1616668

Abstract

This study investigates and ranks the critical components contributing to school resilience in the unique context of Iran, where educators and students face various ongoing challenges, making resilience an essential skill to learn and teach. The purpose of this research is to move beyond the mere identification of resilience factors to establish a rigorous hierarchy for strategic policymaking. Iran’s educational system operates within a complex socio-economic and cultural landscape marked by political sanctions, natural disasters, and social instability, all of which necessitate a focus on resilience as a cornerstone for academic success and student well-being. The research aims to enhance academic performance and student well-being by identifying key components that support resilience in educational settings and prioritising resilience-building strategies to maximise their impact on students' academic development. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, the study combined qualitative database analysis with quantitative hierarchical analysis, providing a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing resilience in schools. The study distilled 21 resilience components into five dimensions: Fundamental Conditions, Strategies, Contextual Conditions, Mediating Conditions, and Outcomes. It then used the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to rank their relative importance. The top priorities identified were life-skills education as the key foundational element and organised extracurricular activities as the leading strategic measure. Among the structural imperatives, improving teacher pay and benefits, as well as ensuring adequate school facilities, emerged as the most critical. These components were ranked based on their calculated priority weight, offering a practical framework for educators and policymakers to design effective resilience-building strategies. By addressing these critical components, the research provides actionable insights to enhance the educational experience, preparing students not only to succeed academically but also to thrive in life. This study contributes to the growing literature on resilience in education, particularly in under-researched contexts like Iran. It highlights the transformative potential of resilient schools in shaping more equitable and supportive learning environments

Keywords

School Resilience , Educational Challenges , Resilience-Building Strategies , Students Academic Performance

Ethical Statement

This research adhered to ethical considerations, including obtaining informed consent, ensuring privacy and confidentiality, and respecting participants' autonomy. Participants were free to decide on completing the questionnaires based on their willingness and available time.

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