Repeated school closures during the war between the United States and Iran’s regime have severely reduced the quality of education in the country. This critical situation has significantly lowered learning quality, especially at the elementary level and among first-grade students. The current conditions not only undermine students’ academic futures but also create numerous challenges for parents.
Failure of virtual alternatives and infrastructural crisis in the education system
In the current situation, the need for alternative options to traditional classes is felt more than ever. Solutions such as virtual classes, televised schooling, and printed materials are among these options. Although the Ministry of Education of Iran’s regime claims to have implemented these measures, the reality on the ground suggests otherwise. Conversations with families and education activists indicate that these options have failed to provide adequate quality. A shortage of internet servers has made access to the SHAD system (the regime’s student education network) extremely difficult. Additionally, high costs and time limitations have significantly reduced the effectiveness of televised schooling.
The Shadow of Anxiety Over Iran’s Education, School Seats Are Emptying
Teaching lessons by parents who lack instructional expertise is considered nearly impossible. Parents may be able to supervise homework, but they are not capable of effectively conveying educational concepts to their children. This issue is even more serious for first-grade students who are just beginning their academic journey. A boys’ school principal states that since the introduction of virtual education into the system, he has seen no benefit. He believes that with current methods, the true concept of studying and education has been entirely hollowed out. In his view, the developmental and character-building aspects of education have also been completely neglected.
Alarming statistics of closures and inability to manage the crisis
Due to numerous difficulties, families are reluctant to use the SHAD system. The disruption of international internet access has also eliminated the possibility of using alternative solutions. Rezvan Hakimzadeh, Deputy Minister for Primary Education in the Ministry of Education, claims that they had prior preparedness for such circumstances. She states that school closures due to air pollution and energy imbalances had already occurred in various provinces. Now, the war has added to existing problems, leading to one-month closures in some provinces. In the current academic year, Khuzestan Province has experienced 34 days of closure and Tehran Province 31 days of closures.
Educational inequality and poverty among lower classes
Regarding final exams, it has been reported that teachers’ children are correcting exam papers at home. This disorder occurs at a stage where these grades account for 60% of the national university entrance exam results. School closures and reliance on virtual education have now become a routine approach in the education system. The reasons for this decision range from virus outbreaks to air pollution, energy imbalances, and most recently war. Iran’s regime has completely ignored the serious access and quality crises resulting from this structural shift. This crisis is directly tied to families’ economic status and exacerbates inequality in society.
Providing smart devices or high-quality internet for underprivileged and lower-income families is very difficult and sometimes impossible. In many households, there is only one mobile phone, which is not always available to the student. The lack of sufficient devices in multi-child families leads to absenteeism and severe academic decline for one of the children.
Decline in national literacy and rise in dropout rates
Virtual education has resulted in sixth-grade students having literacy levels comparable to second grade. Wealthier families compensate for this weakness with private tutors, but poorer families lack such essential resources. Inequality in university entrance exam results significantly intensifies feelings of helplessness among underprivileged students. From 2022 to April 2026, schools across the country have operated virtually for more than 350 days. This is equivalent to the complete closure of an academic year and represents a severe blow to the education system. The number of dropouts in 2022 was estimated at around 911,000 students.
The number of out-of-school children rose to 950,000 in 2025 and has now exceeded 1 million. These children, after dropping out, enter cycles of informal labor and exploitation in the market. In 2025, numerous reports highlighted severe weaknesses among students in the Persian language. The state-run Ham-Mihan newspaper reported an inability to read and write in deprived areas. In those regions, five out of every 20 students lack basic literacy skills.
An examination of the current situation shows that the education system, under the influence of war-driven policies and mismanagement, is on the verge of collapse. Class disparities in access to education have pushed a generation of children out of school and into the labor market. Repeated closures and the inefficiency of virtual platforms have turned the right to education into a luxury commodity that is out of reach for many.
