On Monday, school bells rang out across the country again, and children's voices filled the classrooms. Students resumed their studies after the war between the US and Israel last year led to damage to many educational institutions.
On Monday, school bells rang out across the country again, and children's voices filled the classrooms. Students resumed their studies after the war between the US and Israel last year led to damage to many educational institutions.
However, behind the celebration lie classrooms affected by military actions and painful memories of students and teachers whose lives were cut short as a result of attacks on educational centers. For many, the start of the new academic year signifies not just a return to school, but a symbol of hope, resilience, and the determination to rebuild the country.
President Masoud Pezeshkian participated in the opening ceremony at a girls' primary school in Tehran, where he struck the bell marking the start of the new academic year. This ceremony took place after schools nationwide returned to classrooms following months during which the education system had to cope with the consequences of the war, damaged infrastructure, and the loss of members of the school community.
The return to school has taken on a significance that goes beyond the traditional start of the academic year. For students and teachers, the new school year begins with the memory of comrades and colleagues who will not return to their classrooms.
During the US and Israeli military strikes on Iran, which began on February 28, schools and other civilian facilities became targets of attacks. According to data from the Organization for School Repair, Development, and Equipment, 1288 schools across the country were damaged, including 16 facilities that sustained direct hits and required large-scale restoration or rehabilitation.
Officials reported that reconstruction efforts were accelerated in the months following the conflict. By the start of the new academic year, 1272 damaged schools had been restored and returned to the education system, allowing them to reopen their doors to students.
Nevertheless, in the city of Minab, located in the southern province of Hormozgan, the return to school carries a much heavier meaning. On February 28, the 'Shajareh Tayebeh' school in Minab was attacked during school hours. This strike killed over 150 people, including about 120 children. The school was hit while classes were in session, turning a place intended for learning and safety into one of the deadliest attacks on civilians.
This tragic incident was classified as a war crime—an indiscriminate attack on children and civilians that destroyed the dreams of 168 families amidst smoke and debris.
The new school year in the city has always been accompanied by excitement, bustling streets, bright uniforms and backpacks, the smell of new books, notebooks, and pencils, and parents seeing off children to school. However, this year the atmosphere in the schools feels different.
This year, which marks the beginning of autumn in the Iranian calendar—Mehr—begins with a heavy heart, as the voices of many innocent students are absent from classrooms following their deaths in the aggressors' attacks.
The enemies deliberately targeted not only the fragile bodies of students in Minab but an entire generation that could have helped build a brighter future for the country.
This academic year, school bells ring out, echoing a heartbreaking sorrow for grieving families, the city, and the entire nation. But this sound also resonates with an eternal promise that goes beyond mere mourning.
School bells must ring so that society remains dynamic, alive, and informed. To avoid a corroded society, school bells must constantly ring without ceasing.
Schools will operate, providing every person and every talent the opportunity to flourish and develop. Schools will become sanctuaries, resilient and protected from harm and crises. They will serve as centers for comprehensive personal development in moral, scientific, social, biological, artistic, and technological aspects.
Schools will be the voice of innocent children, protecting the rights of students and punishing aggressors, affirming that the banner of awareness, knowledge, and the pursuit of justice will be raised.
As part of the Yogi government's efforts to immortalize great figures and convey their contributions to the new generation, a decision was made to change the name of Janata PG College in Patla, Ghaziabad, to 'Chaudhary Ajit Singh Janata PG College.'
The Minister of Higher Education of the state, Yogendra Upadhyay, stated that the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is continuously working to strengthen the education system and pass on the glorious contributions of great personalities to the new generation. In this regard, the decision was taken to rename Janata PG College in Patla, Ghaziabad, as 'Chaudhary Ajit Singh Janata PG College.'
The Minister of Higher Education reported that a proposal on this matter was submitted by Chaudhary Charan Singh University in Meerut, and the university council approved this proposal. A corresponding order will soon be issued at the government level.
He emphasized that Chaudhary Ajit Singh made a significant contribution to the development of the social, educational, and agricultural sectors of the state and the country. His name serves as a source of inspiration for the youth. Linking educational institutions to the names of great people plays an important role in familiarizing students with their ideas, struggles, and achievements.
The Minister of Higher Education also noted that the Yogi government strives to make higher education institutions in the state high-quality, modern, and employment-oriented, as well as to strengthen their prestige and recognition. Constant steps are being taken to improve the quality of education, enhance basic facilities, and encourage research and innovation in universities and colleges.
The administration of IIT Bombay has begun implementing an unusual change in its hostels to prevent student suicides. To avoid the use of ceiling fans for hanging, they are being replaced with wall-mounted fans.
According to sources, this step has been under consideration for the past two months and was recently approved. The first batch of wall-mounted fans has already arrived on campus. The fan replacement is part of a strategy that the IIT Bombay administration promised to students in July.
This decision was made amid significant controversy following an incident where Sahil Wakode, a 20-year-old second-year undergraduate student in biotechnology, committed suicide by hanging.
This move has drawn public attention given the rising number of suicide cases among university students. Similar changes in suicide prevention methods have previously been introduced in some other institutions in the country.
Nevertheless, IIT Bombay officials explained that hostel renovations were already planned, and the fan replacement is part of this broader program. According to officials, the decision to replace the fans was made by the administration long before the recent suicide incidents, and there is no direct connection between them.
Political figures also reacted to this decision. Anish Gavane, a representative of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), questioned the decision, expressing sarcasm. He stated that it is futile to assume that replacing a ceiling fan can fix a completely ruined and broken system.
Universidad Ricardo Palma and U.Llaqta Revista de Investigaciones are promoting the III International Seminar on Territory, Urbanism and Architecture Research (SIITUA III). This academic meeting is scheduled to bring together researchers, professors, and professionals from various countries, including Peru, Colombia, Spain, Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, and Luxembourg, with the aim of sharing knowledge and reflections on architecture, urbanism, territory, and the environment.
The seminar will take place over two days and will be structured around four main thematic axes: Habitat and Public Space, Architecture and Materiality, Urbanism and City, and Territory and Environment. The presented works will cover a wide range of subjects, such as thermal comfort in public spaces, urban regeneration, preservation of industrial heritage, housing, care-oriented architecture, artisanal production, urban densification, recovery of industrial zones, social interest housing, territorial vulnerability issues, water conservation, risk management, and adaptation to changes caused by glacial retreat.
A highlight of the program will be the Keynote Conference titled 'The Efficiency of Peruvian Desert Resources.' This lecture will be delivered by Master Architect Carlos Pastor Santa María, who is an architect, researcher, and university professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, and who has been awarded the National Architecture Prize 2024 and is the author of the book Habitar el desierto (2022).
Detailed event information indicates that SIITUA III will take place on October 9th and 10th, 2026, from 5 PM to 8 PM (Peru time). Participation will be virtual, conducted via Zoom, and entry is free upon prior registration.
For students of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at Universidad Ricardo Palma, the event grants 4 conference credits. The first day, October 9th, will focus on Habitat and Public Space and Architecture and Materiality, addressing topics such as public space appropriation, passive ventilation, urban regeneration, and social reintegration. The second day, October 10th, will address Urbanism and City and Territory and Environment, discussing informality, densification, industrial reconversion, and environmental challenges such as risk management and glacial retreat.
In summary, SIITUA III aims to promote international academic exchange and stimulate debate among the diverse approaches related to the transformation processes of cities, territories, and architecture in the present day.
