In-Person Schooling Targeted by Rumors

A wave of worrying rumors about schools aimed at halting in-person instruction is spreading.

According to Ambassador Arjan's report, he wrote: School is not only a place where students attend the classroom, but an important part of their daily life, social communication and learning process is formed in this environment. For this reason, any news about closing schools, threatening the safety of students, or changing the way of education is directly related to the concerns of families, and this issue can be a platform for the spread of rumors and abuse of enemy streams in the media and social networks. In recent days, at the same time as the face-to-face activities of schools in the country, news and claims about the resignation of teachers, non-face-to-face education and even the requirement of students to carry identification plates have been published, and each of these false news tries to bring face-to-face education to the abyss.

In such a situation, the problem is not only the publication of a false news, but the repetition and republishing of unverified claims can increase parents' concern, weaken their trust in educational decisions, and provide grounds for students to move away from face-to-face education. Public opinion still remembers the incidents of poisoning of students in 1401 and 1402 and the widespread wave of anxiety that followed, the days when successive false reports about the state of schools increased the anxiety of families and forced schools to close.

From the claim of resignation of teachers to the rumor of students getting license plates

One of the claims that was echoed in the cyberspace in recent days was the wave of teacher resignations, and some people announced the formation of a wave of teacher resignations by publishing videos of their resignations from education. Ali Farhadi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Education, in a conversation with Ambassador Arjan, considered the news of the wave of teacher resignations as a rumor and emphasized that this claim is not true and that some people are looking to close face-to-face education. Publishing such claims, without providing verifiable information about the number of individuals, schools involved, and documentation of resignation claims, can create an unrealistic picture of the general state of schools. It is natural for families to worry about the quality of education and their children's academic future after hearing the news of widespread teacher resignations, but there is a fundamental difference between publishing a claim on social networks and proving its truth.

Another issue that led to concerns was the claim that students were required to use nameplates containing identification information for identification in wartime conditions. The news that was quickly reflected in cyberspace and could create the impression that schools are preparing for an imminent incident. Alireza Kazemi, the Minister of Education on the 19th of October, rejected the claim that students are required to attend class with their nameplates and described this issue as an example of spreading rumors in the media and said: "The Ministry of Education will not allow students' connection with the school and the learning process to be cut off by making decisions appropriate to the conditions of each region." Kazemi also announced the formulation and notification of the instructions for the continuity of education and emphasized the necessity of taking regional, case-by-case and short-term decisions to manage the situation of schools, decisions that can be appropriate to the conditions of each region, including temporary changes in the way classes are held.

Targeting the mental security of families by republishing worrying news

In the matter of education, the concern of families is a natural and respectable thing, but this important concern can become a tool to create fear and mistrust if unconfirmed news is published. In the media environment, especially in sensitive situations, some currents and media outlets can lead public opinion towards a critical picture of the state of schools by selectively highlighting incidents, repeating unconfirmed claims, and publishing worrying narratives. If such narratives are republished without investigation, the result may go beyond momentary concern and affect the decision of families about their children's attendance at school.

The experience of closing schools during the Corona era; Distance education is not free of charge

Rezvan Hakimzadeh, deputy of elementary education of the Ministry of Education, in a conversation with Ambassador Arjan, referring to the formation of some efforts to disrupt the process of face-to-face education in the country's schools and the need for families to be vigilant against these false news and rumors, said: Iran was among the countries whose schools were closed for a long time during the Corona epidemic, and when the schools were supposed to reopen, the opposition media immediately raised concerns about the attendance of students at school. And now the effects of long-term closures can be seen in the decline in student learning.

These statements once again draw attention to the consequences of long-term school closures. Virtual education in emergency situations can be a way to continue education, but it is not a complete replacement for all school functions, especially for students who do not have access to digital tools, suitable internet or a quiet environment for learning. In addition to teaching, the school is a platform for interacting with the teacher and peers, identifying learning problems and receiving educational and educational support. Being deprived of this space for a long time can cause more damage to underprivileged students and in many cases they are not able to make up for educational deficiencies at home. Families should know that if the situation becomes sensitive, the authorities will decide to close schools or change the education method, and notification will be made through official media.