Iraqi educational system crushed under embargo

The Baghdad Observer No. 8805, 10 December 1997

Baghdad, Dec 9—The sanctions imposed on Iraq has a profoundly adverse impact on the progress of education in the country. This is still evident in the lack of printing equipment and materials and non-availability of stationery and shortages of educational facilities.

The past six years have witnessed an unprecedented halt in the growth of basic educational services and a stagnation of the educational facilities.

The halt in implementing educational plans and the new drop-out phenomenon were the effects of the US-led war in 1991 and the continuation of the trade sanctions.

The effects of war on education have been disastrous, Minister of Education Fahad al-Shaqra maintained.

In an interview to the Middle East daily, the Minister said, adding according to Iraq, UN oil pact, same $8 million has been allocated for the import of educational aids, including visual aids, laboratory and library equipment, sport facilities and furniture as well as printing materials and equipment.

The Ministry has received nothing despite the fact that the oil deal went into effect one year ago, the Minister said, indicating that A number of contracts signed by the Ministry with foreign companies were held up by UN Security Council Sanctions Committee without any legal justification.

Moreover, the Committee rejected a number of contracts claiming that the materials listed are dual-use equipment, the Minister noted, adding that the severe shortage in educational facil- ities has greatly affected educational process and plans.

The effects of war on education have been disastrous. Hundreds of schools were damaged during the war and the ensuing acts of terrorism. Drop-out rates among school boys and girls have in- creased five-fold compared to pre-war level. The quality of teaching itself was widely affected. Schools are usually organ- ised in double shifts per day, and there is an acute shortages of school supplies. Even paper and pencils are difficult to obtain, and if available in the market, their prices are pro- hibitive.

A number of Iraqi children do not go to school any longer and try to lessen the misery of their families through begging, shoe-shine and petty sales of cigarettes or even cosmetics-products.