Rezvan Hakimzadeh, the Deputy Minister of Primary Education, stated that this ministry has become the reference for decision-making regarding school closures, emphasizing that instead of nationwide closures, decisions about school closures can be made according to the conditions of each region.
The Necessity of Preserving Educational Time
Hakimzadeh continued by pointing out the importance of preserving students' educational time, stating: "The educational time in our country is significantly less compared to many other countries; both in terms of the number of days schools are open and the attendance of students in class." This official added that the quality of educational time affects students' learning outcomes.
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He said: "Every time we close schools for any reason, it is the first place we shut down." These decisions, made due to air pollution, energy imbalance, and snowfall, may harm the educational time and learning of students.
Analysis of School Closures and Energy Imbalance
Hakimzadeh referred to a report prepared by the Research Institute for Education Studies, adding: "This report examines various factors of school closures and makes comparisons; including the issue of energy imbalance and how much school closures can help reduce this imbalance." He emphasized that the results of this study have shown that school closures have little impact on reducing energy imbalance.
The Deputy Minister of Primary Education also referred to the standards for school closures in cases of air pollution, stating: "In many countries, even when the level of air pollution exceeds the threshold we set for school closures in Iran, schools continue to operate."
He stressed the necessity of cultural change to reduce school closures, saying: "If we provide the necessary education and reconsider our consumption behavior, we might be able to significantly prevent school closures." Hakimzadeh ultimately emphasized that to manage educational time and prevent unnecessary closures, we need to reconsider some policies.
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