Fallout of Coronavirus: Iran Schools May Run Make-Up Classes in Summer


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Iranian lawmaker said students may have to attend schools during the summer holidays to make up for the sessions they have missed at the time of nationwide closures in the wake of outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

In an interview with Tasnim in the southeastern city of Kerman, Chairman of the Parliament’s Education and Research Commission Mohammad Mahdi Zahedi said the idea of holding summer classes at schools will be discussed with the Education Minister as soon as the Parliament reopens.

Keeping the schools open in the summertime will be definitely pursued if the Parliament and the Education Ministry come to the conclusion that it will be necessary to make up for the missed classes, he said.

The MP also hailed the Education Ministry and the Science Ministry’s idea of distance education and offering videoconferencing classes with the help of the state TV, saying such distance learning courses are necessary in the current circumstances, although they might be short of the necessary quality.

He expressed hope that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Iran would be deemed as an opportunity to elevate the level of the country’s educational system.

Last week, the Iranian administration extended the closure of all schools and universities nationwide until the end of the current Iranian year (March 19) as the country is struggling with the outbreak of COVID-19.

The educational centers in Iran will be closed for another two weeks afterwards during the Iranian New Year holidays.

The university entrance exams for the master of science and PhD degrees have also been postponed.