Iran Launches Virtual Education Program for Afghan Students Deported from the Country
Iranian authorities have announced the launch of a virtual education program, complete with full hardware support, for Afghan students returning from Iran. An official from Iran’s Ministry of Interior’s Migration Affairs Center said that proposals from international organizations to participate in the initiative have also been welcomed.
According to domestic media reports, more than 6.1 million Afghan nationals currently reside in Iran, though only a small number—approximately 33,000—live in designated refugee camps. The remainder live in urban areas.
It is reported that last year, around 12% of the Afghan population in Iran were school students, an amount equal to nearly 16% of the entire student population across Iran. Iranian officials have pledged to address shortages through the construction of new schools and improvements in the education system.
Meanwhile, the Taliban, following its return to power in Afghanistan, has banned secondary and higher education for girls, severely restricting or entirely cutting off access to education for millions of children—especially girls. Under such circumstances, the forced repatriation of Afghan refugees without adequate educational and support infrastructure inside Afghanistan has caused widespread concern among Afghan families.
