European Union: Initiative to better Primary Education in Iraq

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The European Union, in cooperation with UNICEF and the Iraqi Ministry of Education initiated Sunday a joint program to develop primary education for the coming three years. Minister of Education Mohammed Tameem said in the conference held today in Baghdad, attended by IraqiNews.com, “we appreciate the initiative of the EU and UNICEF to develop and better the basic education in Iraq.” He pointed out that this program will on the move for the coming three years to develop education through revising curricula and efficiency of the ministry, which will be benefited by 600,000 children. EU ambassador to Baghdad Jana Hipaskova declared that “provision of good education to children is the investment for Iraqi future. We hope to assist in creating a high environment for educating Iraqi children”. She pointed out that the cost of the project will reach 17 million Euros. Education in Iraq is run by the Ministry of Education. According to UNESCO report, Iraq had, before first and second Gulf wars, one of the best educational systems in the region. In 1970s and 1980s, a high percentage of the population could read and write, to the extent the ex-government was able to eradicate illiteracy. But, education in Iraq suffered great blows due to the wars, UN sanctions and insecurity that led to the increase of illiteracy in the country. The Iraqi government is trying now to deal with this crisis by allocating 10% of its annual budget to the education system. RM (TS)/SR 399