Millions of Iranian students saw remote schooling disrupted by internet outages and failures on the state-run online education platform during more than two months of school closures, renewing criticism of Iran’s virtual education system.
An opinion piece published by Etemad newspaper on Tuesday described widespread frustration among students, parents and teachers over the poor performance of the government-backed Shad platform, which authorities rely on for remote education during emergencies.
Schools across Iran have remained closed since the US-Israeli strikes, forcing students back into virtual classrooms years after the country’s first large-scale experiment with online education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The article argued that many of the same problems identified during the pandemic – including low speed, weak server capacity and repeated outages – remain unresolved despite years of experience with remote learning.
Iran launched the Shad network during the coronavirus outbreak to create a unified national education system after schools shut down nationwide. But users quickly reported technical shortcomings, leading many schools and teachers to rely on alternative messaging and video applications to continue classes.
Although in-person education resumed after the pandemic, the report said authorities failed to significantly improve the platform’s infrastructure despite repeated school disruptions caused by weather conditions, air pollution and energy shortages in recent years.
Internet restrictions deepen problems
The recent conflict and tensions have added new pressure because restrictions on international internet access have reduced the availability of foreign platforms previously used as alternatives during outages.
Domestic applications have also struggled under the surge in traffic from millions of users attempting to access online classes simultaneously, leaving many lessons interrupted or inaccessible.
Teachers have continued trying to keep classes running despite the limitations, often reducing instruction to brief reviews or postponing major lessons until normal schooling resumes.
The mounting complaints recently prompted Iran’s State Inspectorate Organization to warn the government that the Shad platform requires updated and sufficient infrastructure to secure public satisfaction.
The oversight body said Shad remains the only widely accepted national platform for virtual education among teachers, students and parents, making its reliability critical during emergencies.
The article argued that online education cannot replace face-to-face teaching, particularly in deprived and remote regions where internet access and digital devices remain uneven.
University students face separate pressures
The disruptions have also extended into higher education. While universities have said to continue courses online, the closure of student dormitories has created financial and logistical difficulties for working students who must remain in their university cities.
Students displaced from dormitories have increasingly turned to low-cost temporary accommodation, raising safety and financial concerns for families.
The report concluded that repeated national emergencies have shown Iran still lacks a reliable and accessible virtual education system capable of sustaining learning during prolonged disruptions.
