Baghdad – IA
Edited by: Hussein Al-Nasser
The educational reality in Iraq, after the fall of the former regime in 2003, witnessed clear governmental and parliamentary action and tangible privileges for educational and educational personnel.
Years of militarization of society and siege during the time of the former regime cast a shadow on the educational reality, which was not devoid of interference by the regime and the Saddam Baath Party and the forced partisanship of educational and teaching staff and students.
Parliamentary legislation and amendments
Vice Chairman of the Higher Education Committee, Adel Al-Rikabi, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “The Higher Education Committee is interested in proceeding with several legislation, including the Ninth Amendment Law to the Law of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research No. 40 of 1988, which has the legal status to merge the Ministry of Science and Technology with… The Ministry of Higher Education has also set standards for university leaders in terms of tenure and qualifications, in addition to many matters included in the law. Likewise, with regard to the structure of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, there are some amendments included in the law.”
Al-Rikabi added, “The committee began preparing the private education law in partnership with the Ministry of Education and its cadres, and it contains strict standards for the instructions and controls for opening private colleges and universities in terms of space and staff, and in terms of establishing a board of trustees for each private university. The first reading of the law has taken place and the committee is in the process of submitting it for reading.” the second”.
He continued: “As well as the University Service Law, which the committee submitted an amendment to include some privileges for teaching staff in Iraqi universities, including amending the retirement age, to rise to approximately 70 years, as well as the law establishing the equivalence of degrees in 2020, which harmed the Iraqi academic certificate.”
He stressed that “the committee is in the process of amending the law to ensure the integrity of the Iraqi academic certificate, as well as parallel private education,” pointing out that “there is a government draft law that the committee submitted for first reading and other laws are in the process of being prepared.”
2003…before and after
Member of the House of Representatives, Ruqaya al-Nouri, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), “The reality of education in the post-2003 period has become better in many aspects, because there were some amendments that led to the abolition of the bloody Saddam Baathist identity from the curricula, as well as the increase in Salaries of marginalized teachers and trainers during the rule of dictator Saddam.
Al-Nouri adds: “It appeared that approximately 80% during the time of the previous regime needed repair and support for health facilities, as well as the lack of libraries and scientific laboratories in schools, but after 2003 they reconstructed and renovated the buildings, created new school buildings with high specifications, and abolished the mud schools that were prevalent during the era.” Baathist regime.
Parliamentary efforts and tangible privileges
Regarding the legislative level, Al-Nouri said: “The House of Representatives previously voted on the law to protect teachers, teachers, supervisors and educational counselors, and this is great moral support for them and appreciation for their efforts,” stressing that “Parliament always calls on governments to allocate plots of land for them in their governorates.”
She continued, “Parliament also voted on several laws supporting education and upbringing, and demanded the inclusion of new topics in the educational curricula that emulate the Baath era’s oppression of the people and the cruelty of its bloody regime.”
She stressed that “the benefits are all tangible, as the educational corps now has lucrative salaries and great support from the current government, whether on the financial or moral side.”
Militarizing and distributing society
Educational expert Muhammad Fakhri Al-Mawla told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “The reality of education developed from the principle of mobilizing forces associated with the military concept (militarization of society), in support of the battle at that time before 2003, which lasted for almost a decade through a number of decisions, including Mandatory conscription for those who drop out of school.
Al-Mawli added: “Also, the door to excessive volunteering was opened with temptations that divert the attention of young people from completing civil studies towards military studies, ending with the despatch of society, in addition to the fact that the schools were all partisan schools.”
The siege period… the bullet of mercy
As for the educational expert, Haider Arab Al-Moussawi, he told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “There is no comparison between before 2003 and after, as there was great and clear neglect during the period of the previous regime, and perhaps it was intentional after Iraq was one of the developed countries.” Level of education in the Middle East.
He added, “The educational reality began to decline, and the coup de grace was fired in the 1990s during the siege period. There were no new schools or furniture, and the situation reached the point where many schools were transformed into just walls, in addition to the spread of mud schools.”
He continued: “After 2003, there was great hope to restore the value of the teacher and interest in him and develop the curricula, given that there was a siege on the curricula without development or attention to the teachers and their salaries, which did not exceed three thousand dinars, and therefore there were many tragic points that struck the educational and educational reality.”
He pointed out, “In the 1970s there was an announcement to eradicate illiteracy in Iraq, but after 1985, illiteracy rates began to rise and before 2003 it exceeded 50 percent. Perhaps accurate and real numbers show a rate of 70 percent.”
He added, “After 2003, there was interest in the educational sector, and the state began to link appointments and jobs to educational and scholastic achievement, and we saw the percentage of learners increase significantly.”
International quality standards
The political expert, Ali Al-Baidar, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), “The reality of education that Iraq is experiencing today cannot be compared to past eras or the stages before 2003, at all levels and levels, despite the difficult circumstances and challenges that the country went through and affected some.” Educational sectors in the country.
Regarding international quality standards, Al-Baidar stressed, “After 2003, we witnessed demonstration facilities, laboratories, high salaries for workers in the education sector, freedom of criticism in the educational and learning fields, state sponsorship, and the establishment of educational and pedagogical sectors far from partisan frameworks, while the previous stages or the Baath era were mocking Education and knowledge to glorify the chair, strengthen the system, and make education one of the system’s tools.”
He concluded by saying: “We saw the Iraqi teacher and university professor in previous stages working after work and holidays in sectors that were considered a disparagement to him.”
Paradoxes
He pointed out that “the state is currently sending thousands of students abroad and strengthening development and research centers in educational institutions, while Saddam and his party were harnessing the important titles or sectors that are supposed to be a tool for educating people and society, harnessing them for their benefit and the interest of the party, and we find that the service employee in the school In the evening, he becomes a party official responsible for the school principal, which undermines many values and concepts within Iraqi society.”
