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Education
Assistance has helped Iraq move away from rote learning methodology in decrepit, unsanitary classrooms to interactive learning in rehabilitated buildings. Since 2003, USAID has rehabilitated nearly 3,000 schools. Over 20 million new textbooks have been supplied by USAID (8.6 million) and UNESCO (12 million). Tens of thousands of primary school teachers have received training and technical assistance.
Through the Higher Education and Development (HEAD) more than 1,500 Iraqi faculty and students have participated in workshops, trainings, conferences, and courses all over the world since January 2004. Program efforts have rehabilitated university facilities throughout the country.
Revitalizing Education
As a result of two decades of wars and economic hardship brought on by misrule, Iraqi schools fell into disrepair, enrollment dropped, and literacy levels stagnated. Iraq's adult literacy rate is now one of the lowest in all Arab countries; UNESCO estimates literacy rates to be less than 60 percent, or 6 million illiterate Iraqi adults. Rural residents and women have been hit hardest; only 37 percent of rural women can read, and 30 percent of Iraqi girls of high school age are enrolled in school compared with 42 percent of boys.
USAID and the Ministry of Education worked together to improve access to quality education in Iraq at the primary, secondary, and university levels. Programs have provided essential supplies and training to support schools nationwide. A series of model schools have been established where Iraqi educators implement new and innovative teaching methods while giving students access to improved equipment. USAID also developed partnerships between U.S. and Iraqi universities, which has helped re-equip and revitalize Iraq's higher education system.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- 2,962 schools have been rehabilitated in full or in part since 2003.
- Hundreds of thousands of desks, chairs, cabinets, chalkboards, and more than 3 million school kits have been distributed countrywide.
- Tens of thousands of teachers and administrators have received in-service training supported by USAID.
- Eighty-four primary and secondary schools (four in each governorate) are being established to serve as model schools. Teachers received specialized training, and schools have been equipped with computer and science laboratories.
- An accelerated learning program, targeting 14,000 out-of-school youth, was implemented during the 2005-2006 school year.
- To improve resource management, a comprehensive Education Management Information System developed and installed and MOE staff were trained to manage the system.
- Satellite Internet access and computers were installed at the Ministry of Education and in all 21 Directorates of Education.
- More than 8.7 million math and science textbooks have been edited, printed, and distributed throughout Iraq.
- Partnerships were established between five American and 10 Iraqi universities. Through these partnerships, more than 1,500 Iraqi faculty and students have participated in workshops, trainings, conferences, and courses in Iraq, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.
- University facilities, such as libraries, computer and science laboratories, lecture halls, and buildings, have been rehabilitated at colleges of law, engineering, medicine, archeology, and agriculture. In addition, books and electronic resources have been provided to university libraries.
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