The Minister of Information and Communications Technology Seyed Sattar Hashemi has stated that students’ participation in school is an opportunity to gain real life experience, while reiterating the significance of technology-driven education.
He made the remarks at the ceremony
of school year opening in Tehran on Wednesday as well as in a post on X social platform to commemorate
martyrdom of school children and teachers killed in the Israeli-US military aggression
on 28 February in Minab, Hormuzgan Province.
“Students’ presence at school is
not merely about studying. Rather, it is an opportunity to gain experience,
contribute to building society, and prepare for their future lives,” the ICT
Minister said.
Hashemi congratulated students on
the beginning of the school year and paid tribute to martyrs of war,
particularly students and teachers who lost their lives in the Israeli-US aggressions.
Lasting Role of Teachers in Students’
Lives
“One of the most important pillars
of education is teachers, who have always worked to strengthen education,
improve the standing of the education system, and advance the country,” he said,
noting the significant role teachers play in students’ lives.
“Sometimes a single sentence, a
word of encouragement, or even a teacher’s correction can change the course of
a person’s life,” the Minister added, “Therefore, the role of teachers in all
of our lives has been and continues to be highly influential.”
He termed the family as the
second major pillar of education and development, saying “Families play an
irreplaceable role in their children’s education and future.”
School is More than a Classroom
Referring to the importance of
in-person education, Hashemi stated, “There is a fundamental difference between
online and in-person education. Despite the efforts that have been made in the
technical field, this distance and gap have not been completely bridged.”
“The energy and excitement that
we see in the school today are the result of being together in person. We do
not come to school merely to study. Being at school is an experience that helps
us build society, shape our future lives, and put what we have learned into
practice.”
Hope and Self-Confidence are
Students’ Assets for Future
“The path of growth, maturity,
and achieving the goals and dreams you have in your minds is not an easy one.
There will naturally be ups and downs along the way,” Hashemi told the
students.
“You may get a good grade one day
and feel happy, while on another day, for whatever reason, that may not happen.
But we should not allow such events to cause us to lose hope.”
He described hope as one of the
most important qualities and assets a person can possess, saying “Whenever we
have hope for the future, remarkable things can happen.”
He concluded by urging the
students to make the most of the opportunity to be together, and noted “This
opportunity will not come again, and without a doubt, your school years will be
among the best periods of your lives.”
The ICT Minister in a post on X
also paid tribute to the student and teacher martyrs notably those killed by
the Israeli-US air raids on a school in Minab in southern Iran.
“The pain of losing the angels of
Minab will remain forever in our hearts. We begin the Mehr month (23 September) with
sorrow for the student and teacher martyrs whose places are now empty in our
classrooms.”
Hashemi added that the latest technological
advances should be used in developing the country’s education system.
‘For the #Iran_of_tomorrow that
we envision, our goal is to strengthen technology-driven education and research
so that equitable and inclusive learning opportunities are available to
everyone,” he wrote.