WFP assists 31,000 beneficiaries yearly through unconditional food assistance in addition to the provision of a girls’ education cash incentive, and a school feeding initiative consisting of nutritious school snacks.

Moreover, it supports refugees’ livelihoods through activities that aim at providing them with complementary skills in view of sustainable repatriation to their country of origin once the situation is conducive.

The assisted people received 393.5 MT of fortified wheat flour, vegetable oil, lentils, biscuits, date bar, nuts, and milk, according to a report recently published by the WFP.

Some 8,413 were women, 8,628 men, 6,189 girls, and 6,779 boys (these figures include 537 Iranian teachers who receive WFP school snacks).

General food distributions in refugee settlements are ongoing, in addition to cash-based transfers, which aim at reducing the economic impact on beneficiaries caused by negative market developments, such as inflation and rising food prices.

Due to the COVID-19 situation, schools are continuing their work either online or in-person depending on the situation in their provinces. School snacks distribution is being continued either on-site for those who have routine classes or as a take-home ratio for those who receive online training.

WFP received a contribution of EUR 1.7 million from the Federal Republic of Germany for its assistance program, which will benefit Afghan and Iraqi refugees living in settlements in Iran.

Iran hosting world’s fourth-largest refugee community

Iran is hosting the world’s fourth-largest refugee community. The country has generously hosted approximately 1 million refugees for the past 30 years. The majority, which mainly came from Afghanistan and Iraq, live in urban areas. Approximately 31,000 of the most vulnerable refugees living in 20 settlements located throughout the country.

Based on the latest statistics, over 3 million Afghans are living in Iran – some 780,000 Afghan refugees, over 2 million undocumented Afghans, and another 600,000 Afghan passport-holders with Iranian visas.

However, in light of the pandemic, all refugees, even those undocumented, benefited from access to free primary health services and free COVID-19 related testing, treatment, and hospitalization, just like Iranian nationals.

The same happened for the vaccination when the country has generously considered refugees over the age of 75 for vaccination against coronavirus.

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He made the remark in an exclusive interview with Iran Daily on Tuesday when touring the Iran Cultural Press Institute on the eve of National Reporter’s Day, which was commemorated on Friday, August 7.

Haji Mirzaei also urged international aid agencies to help the refugee students in Iran by providing them with gadgets such as tablets so that they can continue their education during the coronavirus pandemic.

The minister’s comments follow:

Iran Daily: We appreciate that the Education Ministry is in the eye of the storm under the severest pandemic situation to provide the best services to Iranian students. At the same time, Iran is hosting refugees and providing their children with free education. Please elaborate.

Haji Mirzaei: The education services which Iran is providing to the refugees are unprecedented. Over half a million refugees are studying in Iran free of charge. They are not living in ghettos, rather studying in schools and classrooms beside Iranian students. In some schools in the south of Tehran, there are more refugee students than local students.

The majority of the refugee students are from Afghanistan as well as Iraq and other countries. However, it is not just providing free education that matters. In some schools, authorities are also helping refugee students with food and clothes. Iran is an Islamic country, and such services are provided under Islamic teachings which stress humanitarian assistance to the needy people.

Is the Education Ministry satisfied with the international assistance to the refugees living in Iran?

There are countries that are hosting far fewer refugees than Iran but receiving more assistance. International organizations such as the United Nations shall do more to carry out their mission in Iran.

Iran is under economic and health sanctions and, as a result, hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic in the region. Now that computing devices such as tablets and laptops are not exported to Iran, the UNHCR shall take steps to help the refugee students. Many poor students are on the verge of quitting school.

Therefore, we urge such organizations to take due steps toward helping the refugees and their children under the pandemic situation which demands working and studying at home and the gadgets to do so.

How is the ministry proceeding in providing comprehensive education coverage online to Iranian students?

The coronavirus has its silver lining too. For about 15 years, there were plans to promote online education in the country. The pandemic helped us move ahead as fast as possible in the last six months.

While there are limitations with regard to Internet infrastructure in remote villages as well as financial restrictions to afford the hardware for online education, the ministry has devised strategies to overcome the challenges. Not all education is provided online. Students are allowed to attend classes if social distancing is guaranteed.

Online curriculum packages were developed in one month because the pandemic took everybody by surprise. Naturally, there were inadequacies. However, there are now efficient packages to help teachers and students.

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