Dialogue session regarding the status of education in Iraq
Tammuz organization held dialogue sessions regarding the status of education in Iraq in (Baghdad, Erbil, Anbar and Thi-Qar provinces). These sessions were attended by specialists, educations specialists, and some representatives of civil society organizations.
The attendants presented their papers and articles of experience concerning (the status quo of education in Iraq- causes of deterioration-and the consequences of deteriorating-solutions).
Baghdad session attendants discussed the causes of deterioration such as (traditional academic curricula, lack of training staff, the vague strategic plan to develop education and infrastructure). The attendants discussed as well the consequences of private tutoring, the administrative corruption and lack of the ministry of education supervision upon kindergartens and schools. These causes and drawbacks had enormous effect on students whom their schools classes are incompatible with their numbers and their educational background.
The solutions:
• The specialist during these sessions discussed some solutions that might contribute to developing the status quo of education such as:
Reformation of the ministry of education.
• Developing the academic curricula to cope with the fast pacing of the world.
• Organization rehabilitation courses for educational training staff.
• Paying serious attention and support for kindergartens.
• Observing teaching staff in the schools and encouraging outstanding students.
• Remodeling education laws.
• Terminating corruption among the ministry of education sectors.
• Allocating the proper budget for the ministry of education.
• Activating the law of compulsory education and remodeling it to include the intermediate level (Level 7 through 9).
One of the sessions took place in Erbil-Kurdistan Region. The session was dedicated to discuss the education situation there. Some activists and teachers of various schools level participated in the session. Some problems and solutions were discussed by the specialists such as:
1- Terminating nepotism and favoritism as that affected in the choice of teaching staff and ricocheted on the level of the students and the educational process.
2- Putting strategic plan to get rid of the financial and administrative corruption in the sectors of the ministries of education and teaching in the region. Then, putting a plan to reconstruct and provide old schools with new apparatus to enhance the teaching process.
3- Reducing private schools that created stratical variations among the new generation.
4- Reducing private tutoring as that affected on the level of the teachers and what they present.
5- The unavailability of planning to admit undergraduates created problem in the central committee for admission as some were deprived from pursuing their academic study because lack of university seats.
6- Improving and encouraging vocational training.
7- Lack of school buildings in the suburbs and villages.
In Thi-Qar governorate, a session with the same goals was held to discuss (the causes of deteriorating of education and its consequences-problems and solutions).
The workshop previews historically the process of education relapse and the causes that contributed in the fall such as the economical situation the country had gone through during 1990’s. Learners and teachers situation lead them to depend on private tutoring and lots of drop-outs occurred to sustain their families. Schools could not cover the increase in population and fast pacing world. The security situation also contributed to such relapse in education.
(Day without knowledge is worthless) is that slogan of Anbar governorate session regarding education. Such as all other sessions in other provinces educators discussed the current situation and the solutions to tackle its crisis. The session was excelled by the attendance of Liqa Mahdi Wardi, the Iraqi parliamentaria and it also attended by Anbar directorate of education manager and the representative of the ministry of Higher education and the representative of provincial council in the governorate.
The session started by welcoming attendants then the education supervisor Fawziya Hamood introduced her study about the current situation on education in the country and Ms. Mahdi talked. Later, the floor was given to the attendants to ask questions and claims for the central government. Ms. Mahdi praised the role of the NGOs especially Tammuz organization to arrange this session in the governorate.
The output recommendations of the sessions in the governorates are:
• Forming higher education committee of education specialists and employees and activists of civil society organizations to reconsider the education regulations and rules.
• Providing stationary and textbooks before the starting of study semester.
• Sending teaching staff in capacity development courses to ensure the role of teacher in primary schools.
• Treating the conflict between the central authority and provincial one regarding education disciplines and regulations and enacting literacy law.
• Decreasing students in each class to 30 students or pupil.
• Forming efficient committees to issue textbooks and not allowing printing them abroad and not allowing employing schools for uneducational purposes.
• Claiming the ministry of education not to change to curriculum during the study semester as that will perplex students.
• Activating the role of supervisors in schools and among teaching staff.
• Providing electricity, water and other services for these schools.
• Providing suitable schools for students.
• Providing special study to design modern schools.
• Providing modern and advanced teaching tools.
• Proving good climate of educated and academic specialists to do their work.
It is worth mentioning that Tammuz organization has contributed in one of the literacy project (Hold My Hand) to support orphan children and participated in the world campaigns of education that are held annually.
Media and Relations Office
Tammuz Organization for Social Development
