Iran rebuilds 1,288 schools damaged in recent aggression: Education minister

Tehran, IRNA – Iran has rebuilt 1,288 schools damaged in recent attacks and returned them to service with the help of charitable donors, Education Minister Alireza Kazemi says, warning that the educational losses caused by school closures cannot be measured or compensated.

Speaking at a ceremony titled Solidarity of Families and Schools in Protecting the Right to Education During the Ramadan War, Kazemi described education as a fundamental human right that must be protected under all circumstances.

He said investment in education shapes people’s physical and mental health, welfare and future, adding that educating children is among the most valuable investments a family can make.

Around 1,500 educational facilities sustained direct or indirect damage during the recent war, the minister said. The Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab was among the sites struck.

Kazemi said the government had approved new rules requiring that schools not be closed without authorization from the Education Ministry.

The first part of a wartime management directive has also been issued to provincial governors by order of the interior minister.

The official added that the conflict had caused anxiety, displacement and disruptions to learning. Kazemi reported that 295 students and 68 teachers were killed in attacks across the country, including 168 students and school staff in Minab.