Background Rapid increases in the number of COVID-19 cases have led to the closure of academic institutions including elementary and high schools. The absence from the educational environment can affect the students’ emotions towards education and school attendance. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the students' attitude and emotions towards the sudden closure of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods By utilizing a modified version of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire, a web-based cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the students' positive and negative emotions towards schools during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Questionnaires were filled by 20,697 participants with an average age of 13.76, and 70.3% of them were females. Also, 83.3% were from public schools and 80.6% from urban areas. Based on the questionnaire, for positive attitude a median of 31 (IQR 26–35) and for negative attitude a median of 25 (IQR 19–32) were obtained. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated a satisfactory level of students' emotions regarding schools and education during the closure of schools and institutions. This indicates that despite the imposed situation, students showed enthusiasm towards learning and schools.