Once upon a time, Iraq's education system was widely regarded as one the best in the Middle East. Between the 1960s and 1990s, Iraq made great progress in enrollment at all levels of education. According to the
United Nations, it achieved near universal primary enrollment by 1991. Higher education in Iraq, especially the scientific and technological institutions, met international standards and was staffed by high-quality personnel.
During the 1990's, the country's education system seriously deteriorated due to overall neglect, caused in large part by Iraq's engagement in two wars with the United States and its allies. Immediately after the conflict in May 2003, only one in six children had textbooks, teachers were unpaid (and if they were paid, they only made $5 per months), and school facilities were in poor condition. Most of Iraq's schools lacked plumbing, wiring, lighting, desks, windows, and doors due to the systematic looting after the invasion of Iraq.
According to a published by the Iraq Ministry of Education (MoE) in 2004, the education system’s "
report physical infrastructure has so deteriorated that it has an increasingly negative effect on the quality of education and attendance rates. Too many students must now be educated in double or triple shifts. . . . Out of more than 15,000 existing school buildings, 80% now require significant reconstruction. More than 1,000 schools need to be demolished and completely rebuilt. Another 4,600 require major repair. Hundreds of schools are built of mud or reeds particularly in the southern governorates and thousands of school buildings nationwide do not meet minimally acceptable health standards."
Thus, Iraq education system is in shambles and has been for nearly 14 years. How can the Iraqi people hope to overcome this hurdle? Millions of Iraqis went years without a basic education.
Posted by alohafromtim
at 3:01 PM EDT
Updated: July 13, 2005 11:08 AM EDT