Before the 1990s, Iraq had one of the best education systems in the Middle East, with national primary school enrollment and high rates of literacy among women. A decade later, the tight control from the central government resulted in buildings that were poorly or never maintained, teachers that were poorly paid and ill-trained, and shortages in basic equipment and schoolbooks. School enrollment for all ages had declined greatly.
The Coalition and its partners are revitalizing public education in Iraq by addressing urgent needs while laying the foundation for sustainable, decentralized quality schooling at the primary and secondary levels.
Pre-conflict
Since 1991, there was no ongoing maintenance program for school buildings nationwide.
Rather than investing in improved infrastructure, improved teacher training, updated curriculum and new technology, Saddam Hussein spent money building many ornate palaces.
Total number of teachers in Iraq: 272,122 in 2000-2001 (Source: UNESCO)
Number of school buildings: 14,924 (Kindergarten 631; Primary 11,066; Secondary 2,968; Vocational 158; Teacher training 101).
Post Conflict
Most schools were open very soon after liberation and the highly-valued national exams were given in June 2003 (had they not been given, Iraqi students would have lost an entire academic year).
The politicized education system was dismantled. More than 12,000 headmasters, headmistresses, and teachers, who were former Ba?ath Party members, were dismissed with a process for appeal at the local and national levels.
32,632 secondary school teachers and 3,000 supervisors have been trained in effective classroom management and curriculum delivery.
644 students are now in the accelerated learning program throughout the nation.
Entry-level teacher salaries were raised from a pre-war monthly salary of $5 to $66. The average is now about $120 per month.
USAID edited all primary and secondary school math and science books and printed 8.7 million copies which have been distributed to the governances. This is with US taxpayer money. With Oil-for-Food money, UNESCO did another 50 million.
Distributed 159,000 student desks, over 26,437 teacher desks, 61,000 chalkboards and 58,000 teacher kits including distributions in non-permissive areas.
Distributed 808,000 primary student kits and 81,735 primary teacher kits.
Number of schools requiring repair post-war due to years of neglect and looting: 11,939 (of which 50% require major work or rebuilding)
By March 2004, more than 2,500 schools had been rehabilitated, with another 869 underway, by various U.S. civilian agencies, NGOs, international agencies, and the military.
Future plans
4500 new schools to be built over the next four years to overcome crowding.
U.S. Congress has allocated $88 million in construction funds to rehabilitate 1,000 schools in 2004 and $82 million in non-construction funds for (1) restoring water and sanitation services to schools; (2) forming or reactivating PTAs; (3) reducing the number of schools holding multiple shifts; (4) establishing 162 model schools, Centers of Excellence; (5) developing television for pre-school children; and (6) ensuring the delivery of school supplies.
Higher Education
USAID awarded five grants worth $20.1 million to create partnerships between U.S. and Iraqi universities.