September 3, 2021
The new government of President Raisi has reversed the plan of his predecessor to re-open schools to full classroom education September 23. Instead, schools will resume virtual education, although many of the poor have complained because they lack access to computers to participate.
The government blamed the surge in the Delta variant of the coronavirus for the change in plans and the cancellation of in-person learning.
It said that before classes can resume all school personnel must be vaccinated, improved ventilation systems must be installed in schools and classrooms must be “decongested,” which presumably means more classrooms must be built so that fewer students are assigned to each classroom.
All that could easily cancel in-person schooling for the entire next school year, if the government really goes ahead with the announced plans.
It said nothing about financing. For years, much of the construction costs of building or expanding schools has been paid for by voluntary contributions made by the wealthy.
Schools were closed nationally in February 2020 when the virus first broke over the country. At some points, local school authorities made stabs at reopening schools in areas when the epidemic was rolled back for a while.