TEHRAN – The Welfare Agency will implement the first digital education project in 11 provinces across the country, aiming to improve the digital skills of children and youth and protect them from cyber threats.
With the advent of technology and social media, the internet has become an integral part of teenagers’ lives, bringing both benefits and risks. In order to prevent cyber risks, it is necessary not only to educate young people and their parents, but also to raise awareness about safe online behavior and dangers such as internet addiction and cyberbullying, Abdulreza Asadi, a welfare worker, was quoted by Mehr News Agency as saying.
Underscoring the importance of establishing effective communication between parents and adolescents in the digital space, Asadi said that within the plan, both adolescents and parents will receive the necessary training on how to avoid digital dangers. Teens will be familiarized with concepts such as cybersecurity, privacy, and ethics in cyberspace, and parents will receive training on appropriate parenting styles, effective communication with teens, and how to monitor their children’s online activities.
He said that apart from theoretical sessions, practical sessions and workshops will be held so that participants can apply their newly learned skills in practice.
The plan will target 8,000 youth and their parents in 11 of the country’s 31 states. The plan will be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, the country’s Cyber Police (FATA Police) and the judiciary, the official further said.
iran digital program
In June, the first phase of the Iran Digital Initiative, a free nationwide artificial intelligence (AI) training program targeting 2 million secondary school students and 1,000 teachers, was launched.
After completing the introductory course, students will learn various functional areas of AI and carry out practical projects, IRNA quoted Abdulhossein Bahrami, Vice President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, as saying.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Director-General of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, principals of junior high schools, heads of educational technology departments, and education-related organizations.
Speaking at the session, Bahrami emphasized the importance of teaching students AI, saying increasing digital literacy will help students prepare for the future job market, develop critical thinking, and become familiar with emerging technologies. It also fosters student creativity and innovation.
The official further said that experts, policy makers and users will have the opportunity to discuss and reach consensus on the laws and principles that should be followed to advance the use of AI. This helps developers and decision makers understand people’s needs, expectations, and concerns and improve technology accordingly.
Various incentives are considered to increase the motivation of students and teachers. The platform is game-based and interactive, and incentives include holding seasonal contests, ranking top individuals in different geographic areas, and awarding prizes. Bahrami pointed out that toppers will also have the opportunity to participate in advanced courses and internship courses.
MT/MG