First: Develop & Reform the Academic Curriculum

The academic curricula in Iraq such as history and geography are controversial. As for the scientific curricula, they have become ancient. In the opinion of our experts, changing the academic curricula in Iraq is the most important point to be concentrated on currently because it is related to the education of a whole country and next generations.

There should be a close relationship between education and developing curricula so as to serve the student and improve his/ her scientific level. According to the specialized, the current academic curricula <<are traditional books that are totally secluded from what is being taught in any other country. For example, the “Science” curricula teaches topics about the human being body, animals and plants from the elementary stage, then the same is repeated during secondary school without adding to it. Also, there is zero concentration on developing students’ talents and skills.

The world started now to focus on students’ talents in certain areas while other scientific subjects are given as secondary subjects. The case is the contrary in Iraq, there is no room to excel in mathematics, biology, or language… everyone just studies and everyone sits for exams but the results vary.

Surveys confirm that the “Educational Environment” is bad. On its part, the Ministry of Education always announces that Iraq needs more than 4000 schools. This means that there the schools are currently overcrowded, this in turn affects the quality of education>>. What is known for sure is that <<there are hundreds of clay-built schools, other buildings are too old, while the newest ones are not equivalent to international developments. The student needs an environment that encourages him/ her, so when students find computers, nice gardens, clean walls, book of varied subjects, modern equipments, then the student will be encouraged to work hard and attend regularly. It is irrational for us to say that we want to create an inner interest for the student to communicate while there are many schools without chairs at all or with limited insufficient number of chairs. Lately some schools appeared in some areas in Diyala, those schools are originally houses that were rented and the students’ parents are required to pay the rental.

Therefore, we see the necessity of developing a special comprehensive strategic plan to modernize and develop the academic curricula for the elementary, medium and preparatory stages to change all academic curricula to be in accordance of the development taking place in the developed countries, and to be in accordance with the modern educational philosophy and develop the curricula and the subjects on scientific bases in terms of materials data entry, used technology in introducing each subject whether scientific or literature.

Also, we deem it necessary to remove all extreme ideas from the educational curricula by the Iraqi educators whom should be given the chance to develop Iraqi educational curricula that  reflects the culture of Iraqi people, their social values and their future vision of their home country. All of this should be done without external pressures so that Iraqis become reassured that there are no foreign trials to control Iraq culturally and educationally.

Second: Speedup developing a comprehensive sector of education:
Studies proved that the educational system in Iraq concentrates on the knowledge part only without giving due attention to other aspects related to appreciation, feelings, manual and motor skills. Upon implementing those objectives, the knowledge part prevails more than 90%. Despite the fact that this percentage is dangerous, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education stayed incapable to express an opinion calling for change.

The educational process is not a preparation for the future, it is life itself. Therefore, educators should pay attention to 3 important matters to raise the generation properly:

1)    Close cooperation between home and school to bring up and guide children.
2)    Coordinate between a child’s social works and school work.
3)    There should be a clear link between school and productive works at the environment.

The vast development of the concept of education in this current era has revolutionized the previously prevailing concept. This is similar to the revolution in educational concepts, as the old schooling only cared about theoretic study and stuffing students’ brains with academic curricula and books then to be examined. But this information used to slip out of their memories once completing the exam. Modern education is based now on considering the child as the core of the educational system. The system in the school now represents the social life which requires being involved in social works by human beings, volunteer nature, and the fellow human beings.

Now, schools are obliged to promote for security and give opportunities to understand the secrets of the materialistic world, the social work, prepare the chance for free expression of the different tendencies, thus enabling them to acquire mental, lingua and social skills.

In order for the school to properly perform its educational tasks, it is a must for it to be linked to the society. This is implemented by the modern school as it became an integral part of the society. It only differs from the real society in one thing, that is being a miniature society that is free of defects present in the larger society. Looking at the school’s role in the community turned to be looking at education in its wide meaning, i.e. its literature, sciences, arts, customs and traditions, material and technical aspects. This required rebuilding the school in a manner that enables it to play two essential roles in serving its community:

1)    Transfer traditions after trimming them from any and all defects.
2)    Add necessary items for the society to preserve its life, i.e., renew, change and develop the society on a continuous basis in order to achieve welfare and happiness for human beings.

Third: Democratic Educational Revolution
In order for the school in Iraq to be able to conduct its duty towards our rising generations, it is in dire and urgent need for a democratic educational revolution that tackles all fields related to the educational process, students, management, teachers, educational curricula, and educational supervision.

This requires reconsidering schools’ management, remove dull objects and those who are falling behind from the era’s spirit. Spread the principles of freed, democracy and human rights in the new curricula. Emphasize spreading the feelings of love and tolerance within a society, accepting the other opinion, rejecting aggressiveness and taking sides in all of its forms namely religious, sectarian and national.

Fourth: Rehabilitate the Academic Staff
As for teacher, who represent a wide segment of the community, and as they largely effect the educational process, it is necessary to carry out awareness raising campaigns in the form of summer courses on democratic education and freeing education from the strict biased ideology. There is a central problem that has started to affect the educational reality, i.e. some teachers belong to strong parties, thus, they may not be held accountable. Also, their transfer application may not be rejected regardless of the vast need for their services.

Fifth: Resolve the Problem of overcrowding:
The problems of large numbers of students and overcrowding which many schools suffer from, and giving more attention to schools in the center on the expense of remote schools are the main problems facing the educational sector. There are many problems and obstacles, mainly overcrowding in some schools in areas of high population, this led some school managements to reduce number of classes as they cannot teach all academic subjects and because the time is insufficient.

Sixth: Equality between schools in the center and remote schools:
There is another problem, which is intensifying the care provided for schools in the centers of the cities as they are looked after, presented as a model and supported with good educational staff. On the other hand, remote schools are neglected to the extent that there is a lack of proper conditions for the students to continue studying at their schools. In some of those schools there is no teaching staff.

Seventh: Objectivity in Transfer:
The process of transferring teachers is usually done based on non-scientific bases… some teachers are transferred based on higher instructions although there is a need due to their specialty in providing, this in turn is affecting proper completion of the academic courses.

Eighth:  Adopt the principle of competency in assigning positions:
Having one sect controlling most of  the administrative positions results in great deal of disturbance and chaos in many educational institutes.

From a book “Iraq on the path of correcting its track”, Dr. Nahro Mohammad Abdul Kareem, Pg. 71 – 76.