Iran Ready to Share Homegrown Distance Learning App with Muslim Nations

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Education Minister Mohsen Haji-Mirzaei voiced Tehran’s readiness to provide the other Muslims countries with a domestically-developed mobile application, dubbed SHAD, which offers distance learning programs as the coronavirus pandemic has shut down schools.

News ID: 81110

Date: 15 May 2020 - 18:48

In an address to a videoconference of the education ministers of Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) member states, held on Thursday, Haji-Mirzaei expressed Iran’s preparedness to assist the Muslim nation with the education programs.

In the online conference of “Educational Systems in Face of Crises and Emergencies (COVID-19)”, the Iranian minister, who chairs the Supreme Council of the ISESCO National Commission, said the Islamic Republic is ready to share its educational experiences with the ISESCO member states.

"ISESCO as the international educational and cultural institution of Muslim countries should take stance against cruel sanctions," Haj-Mirzaei said, noting that the entity plays a crucial role in sharing experiences and executing coordinated international measures to counter coronavirus.

Following the spread of coronavirus, Iran, in its first attempt to prevent cessation of education, began broadcasting live televised educational programs as the most accessible media tool for all courses and educational bases for 13 hours a day immediately after the closure of schools, IRNA quoted him as saying in the conference.

"In parallel with this move, we created the necessary infrastructure to create a national educational platform called 'SHAD', which is an interaction platform that is currently providing services for free and is the largest educational application in our country," he noted.

"Our demand is that ISESCO, as an international educational and cultural institution of Muslim countries, take a stance against the oppressive sanctions and not allow education, which is an inalienable human right, to be disrupted in the Islamic Republic of Iran as a founding member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation," Haj-Mirzaei stressed.

The virtual meeting, held to deal with the challenges faced by the member states and find basic solutions for the educational problems, was attended by ministers from 50 countries, as well as a number of international organizations.

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