Hamid, a ten-year-old boy from Mashhad, Iran, lives with his parents and two younger brothers, and as the oldest child, has numerous caregiving responsibilities. Hamid’s father works as a construction worker and his mother stays at home to care for the younger siblings, while Hamid juggles school with work, contributing to the family’s income by working at a fast-food restaurant.
“I wake up early in the morning and go to school. I get back home and have my lunch. Then I do my homework and I go to work at 4:00 in the afternoon,” says Hamid.
Balancing school and work was challenging, making it difficult for him to fully engage in his education as much as he wanted to. Hamid was determined to improve his school results so he decided to take part in a Relief International remedial education course. Soon after he started, both his parents and teachers noticed a remarkable improvement in his academic performance.
“I was not good at mathematics and was so disappointed. I thought I would never be good at math and it was so disempowering. Since starting the remedial course, I understand Math better. My teachers spent time explaining topics to me and encouraging me to join in activities, so I started to get better gradually,” says Hamid.
"When the school manager gave my certificate to my mother, she was surprised and proud of my result.”
Relief International’s remedial education program in Iran is an initiative, in partnership with UNICEF, that assists children aged 7-11 facing significant educational challenges in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as supporting Afghan students new to the community.
Remedial education involves reteaching and reinforcing academic skills to improve student outcomes–addressing the skills that children often miss out on learning, often as a consequence of experiencing conflict, climate change, and disaster. Remedial education is often referred to as filling “learning gaps”.
Through these programs, children can gain valuable skills, confidence, and a renewed enthusiasm for learning. With this particular program, Relief Interntional focused on supporting students to overcome language barriers and ensure that household responsibilities and financial constraints do not stand in the way of their potential.
For Hamid, the impact has been massive. “Hamid exhibits commendable manners and demonstrates an unwavering commitment to his studies,” says his teacher.
“The remedial courses he attended resulted in a remarkable improvement.”
After 9 months of our remedial education program in Iran, Relief International has supported over 1, 500 children to complete their grades, paving the way for further educational opportunities and ultimately creating healthier, more resilient communities.
Hamid during Graduation Ceremony of Remedial Courses holding his gifts, Khorasan Razavi, Iran
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