Iraq’s education faces resource, technological challenges: Officials

Shafaq News/ Iraq's education sector is facing significant challenges, a senior official said on Monday, while Kurdish authorities stressed the importance of comprehensive studies to address the realities of the educational landscape.

Speaking at the fourth International Conference on Education and Teaching (ICET) held in Erbil from November 25-27 under the theme “Global Classroom: Embracing Innovation and Challenges,” Falah Mahmoud al-Qaisi, Iraq's Deputy Minister of Education, stated, “The challenges facing education include limited resources and the fast pace of technological changes, alongside the need to modernize education systems to align with future demands.”

He pointed out that despite these difficulties, such challenges offer opportunities “for growth and collaboration.”

“The Iraqi Ministry of Education is committed to tackling these challenges through partnerships with international organizations such as UNICEF, UNESCO, and Stirling Schools,” al-Qaisi said, explaining that the Ministry has implemented strategies aimed at improving teacher training, updating curricula, and utilizing international grants to enhance the use of digital platforms and educational applications.

Meanwhile, Kurdistan’s Minister of Education, Alan Hama Saeed Salih, stressed the necessity of conducting thorough evaluations to assess the educational process in the Region.

Speaking to reporters at a press briefing on the sidelines of the conference, Salih remarked, “Assessing the educational process in Kurdistan requires scientific, academic studies and field surveys, including feedback from teachers, supervisors, and educators.”

He further noted that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has already taken several strategic steps to reform the sector. “These include revising curricula, conducting external evaluations of schools, and implementing strategies for the training of teachers and educators,” Saeed said.