On the morning of Saturday, October 19, 2024, thirty-one female students at Jannat Girls’ School, located in the town of Samalqan, North Khorasan, were poisoned. (IRNA News Agency, October 19, 2024)
This poisoning was caused by the release of an unpleasant odor from mercaptan gas barrels belonging to a nearby gas company.
Incidents like this are a stark reminder of the chronic neglect by the Ministry of Education in addressing safety concerns in schools across Iran. Despite repeated accidents and health threats, officials have failed to implement the necessary safeguards to protect students, leaving them vulnerable to hazardous conditions. In this case, the proximity of dangerous chemicals to the school underscores the lack of basic precautions and oversight.
The condition of many schools in Iran, particularly in rural and underdeveloped areas, reflects years of underfunding and mismanagement. Deteriorating infrastructure, inadequate safety protocols, and outdated facilities create an environment where the health and well-being of students are at constant risk. This poisoning incident highlights a broader issue of governmental negligence that continues to endanger the lives of the nation’s children.
