Abstract: | In order to find out the degree to which a father's education can be used as a predictor of the socioeconomic status (SES) of the family, 1,047 high school students in and around Shiraz, Iran were given a questionnaire covering a wide variety of issues. A considerable variation was found in the physical, cultural, and financial milieus of subjects with different FEs (father's education). Results indicate a close association between a father's education and his occupational status and income. Subjects with better-educated fathers have reported a higher rate of literacy among their mothers and a more culturally enriched home environment than those with less-educated fathers. The parental homes of the high FE group also appear to be mostly located in the more fashionable, modern residential areas of the city and to contain a larger number of rooms. The findings are taken as further justification for the use of FE as an index of parental SES. The significance of education as a means of social mobility in the Iranian culture is briefly discussed and the implication of this for the educational system of the country is commented upon. |