Iraq's Collapsing Education

By Afif Sarhan, IOL Correspondent

BAGHDAD — Iraq's once high-caliber educational system is now on the verge of collapse with schools and universities lacking essential materials such as books and labs, and students and teachers terrorized by violence.

"A class can have nearly 100 students and the result is insufficient attention to students," said Hanan Youssef, a teacher at Mansour Primary School in Baghdad.

"Especially for those sitting in the back, it is nearly impossible even to hear what the teacher has to say," he added.

"Many students prefer stay at home."

The Ministry of Education says all institutions are lacking essentials such as books and lab materials.

Many schools suffer from overcrowding and are forced to operate multiple shifts.

Most schools do not finish the curricula and displaced children are less likely to stay or complete the school year.

According to the Ministry of Education, just 28 percent of 17-year-olds sat their graduation exams in 2006.

UNICEF estimates up to 600,000 Iraqi children have been displaced since early 2006.

"School enrolment and attendance rates are dropping," says Claire Hajaj, Chief of External Relations for UNICEF-Iraq.

"Initial data also shows that primary school net enrolment rates may have fallen from 86 percent in 2004 to as low as 46 percent in 2006."

The Ministry of Education, together with the Ministry of Higher Education, get the smallest share of investments and depend mostly on UNICEF to support schools projects.

Iraqis enjoyed a high standard educational level under the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein.

Until the 1980’s, Iraq was regarded as the center of academia in the Arab world.

Terrorized

The educational system suffers a serious shortage of teachers and professors.

"Thousands of teachers have fled the country because of threats from sectarian death squads," said Leila Abdallah of the Higher Education Ministry's studies planning department.

"Some were evicted from their areas and moved to others inside Iraq for sectarian reasons," she added.

"There are no exact numbers of teachers killed since the US-led invasion in 2003 but we believe it is nearly a thousand," Abdallah said.

"The situation has deteriorated severely since then."

In 2003, the US Coalition Provisional Authority instituted de-Baathification, under which party members – including at least 1,000 lecturers and professors - were fired from their jobs, many of who were forced to be party members.

Available teachers are sometimes forced to give good marks to failing students under threats of violence from parents or relatives.

Such threats have led to the killing of many teachers, mostly in Baghdad.

"My husband was killed with four bullets at his chest after he refused giving a good mark to one student at Economy College," said Tahirah Mohammad, 37.

"He had received a letter telling him to change the student’s mark from 3,0 to 9,0 but he refused and they did what they threatened to do," added the mother of five shocking at the memory.

"My husband was a honest man and he would have never accepted such threats but the price he had to pay for this was his own life."

Gloomy Future

Students are the main victim of the deteriorating educational system.

The low lessoning quality has caused students to fail or have marks under medium levels at an average of 62 percent of countrywide.

"Many aren’t able to take their exams because security issues prevented them of leaving their homes," said Professor Ibrahim Ayad, specialist in educational and social affairs at Mustansiriyah University.

"The lack of power also affects their concentration," he added.

Whole sections of the capital Baghdad remain without electricity, while the lucky neighborhoods get power only sporadically.

"But the main reason is still the bad educational quality," maintains the professor.

"School enrolment and attendance rates are dropping," recognizes Claire Hajaj, Chief of External Relations for UNICEF-Iraq.

"Initial data also shows that primary school net enrolment rates may have fallen from 86 percent in 2004 to as low as 46 percent in 2006, although outdated population figures and large numbers of children fleeing the country may be contributing to this fall."

According to UNICEF, up to 600,000 children have been displaced since early 2006.

"A child out of school is much more exposed to harm than one learning in the classroom," warns Hajaj.

Manal, a 9-year-old primary school student, fears a gloomy educational future.

"I love my school and it is the only place I can go to have some rest from all violence in Iraq," she said.

"My father told me that he will take me out from school if my marks aren’t good and I’m sure it wont be especially with my teacher coming two days per week and nearly 100 students in one class."

Farik, 11, has another problem.

"Mum told me that it is my last year at school and I will have to leave it to help with family’s income," he said.

"She always tell me that I’m not learning anything and despite knowing that it is true, I would like to keep trying and be someone in the future.”

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