As the new school year approaches in Iran, alarming concerns have been raised about the safety of educational facilities in the capital. The CEO of Tehran’s Fire Department issued a stark warning, declaring that nearly half of the schools in Tehran are “unsafe” for students.
With less than ten days remaining before schools reopen across Iran, including the densely populated province of Tehran, Qodratullah Mohammadi, head of Tehran Municipality’s Fire Department and Safety Services, expressed his concerns. He stated that one out of every two schools in the capital lacks adequate safety measures.
Mohammadi further revealed that since last year, no schools have implemented any significant safety improvements. This raises serious concerns, especially given that the issue of securing Tehran’s schools has been on the agenda of the city’s fire brigade and crisis management organization. A memorandum of understanding was even signed with Tehran’s education department to address the matter.
Despite these efforts, progress has been slow. So far, only half of Tehran’s 2,800 schools have undergone structural inspections by the Crisis Management Organization. The remaining schools are set to be inspected by the end of the year, leaving thousands of students potentially exposed to unsafe conditions.
The safety concerns are not limited to schools. Mohammadi also highlighted that many of Tehran’s hospitals have yet to receive safety certifications from the fire department, further illustrating the widespread safety issues in the capital.
While these statistics specifically address Tehran, reports of unsafe schools extend beyond the capital. On September 8, Ali Ahmadzadeh, the governor of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, revealed that the most unsafe schools in the country are located in his province. During a Provincial Education Council meeting, he disclosed that 483 stone classrooms have made the region’s schools some of the most dangerous in the nation.
