ODVV’s letter to the Ministry of Education and Training on Coronavirus outbreak

Following the outbreak of Coronavirus, the Organization for Defending Victims of Violence (ODVV) has offered the Ministry Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran with some recommendations in order to improve the situation for students and teachers. Here Is the full text of the letter.

Dear Minister,
Right to education and right to development have been the focus of ODVV activities at international and domestic levels. Article 30 of Iran Constitution 1 guarantees free education for all and ODVV would like to present the following recommendations with regards to promotion of the right to education:

Access for all: While thanking and commending all the measures taken by your Ministry with regards to the use of online education and the launching of "Shad" application for the prevention of schoolchildren from falling behind education in the current academic year, we request your excellency to take measures address the situation of some families in deprived regions who don't have access to smart technology tools and the internet.

Teachers' tuition: According to some reports, some private schools who receive their entire school fees from parents, have not fully paid their teachers. The heads of these schools claim the tuition clause in teachers ' contracts, but the teachers' complaint is that all students who in physical school attendance were learning in several classes, in online education are being taught at the same time and the teacher needs to follow up on the learning of all student although the time allocated for teaching is lower than the one stated in the contract.
The approach adopted by school heads resulted in disruption and/or serious reduction of the payment of teachers' salary. This requires planning by the esteemed Ministry with regards to the realization of the rights of teachers, the school staff and further monitoring of these private schools.

Health: Considering the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country and your Ministry's decision to hold the end-of-the-school-year exams with physical attendance of students, observation of hygiene in classes and other education facilities in schools requires urgent attention. ODVV recommends the Ministry to benefit from co-operation of other government institutions and volunteer groups for disinfecting schools in specific time periods.

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