Iraq schools short of textbooks days before classes
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraqi schools face textbook shortages less than two weeks before the new academic year, while the Education Ministry has yet to award printing contracts, Parliament’s Education Committee said on Tuesday.
Committee chair Zulaikha Elias told Shafaq News that many education directorates and schools lack sufficient textbooks and curriculum materials, prompting the committee to request a meeting with senior Education Ministry officials to review printing and distribution plans.
Iraq’s 2026–2027 school year begins for students on Sept. 20, according to the Education Ministry.
Elias linked the delays to Iraq’s financial constraints, saying they had affected the ministry’s ability to fund textbook printing.
She called on Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi and the Finance Ministry to allocate the necessary funds and accelerate printing so schools receive books before classes begin.
On Sept. 3, Al-Zaidi directed that Iraqi and foreign companies and printing houses be included in the textbook-printing process for all school levels. His office said the move aimed to increase competition, improve print quality and speed up delivery.
The Education Ministry said in August that this year’s textbook-printing allocation amounted to only about one-third of the funding provided in previous years relative to student numbers, forcing schools to rely partly on reused books.
Textbook shortages have repeatedly affected Iraqi schools. Last week, education officials in Karbala found no textbooks available for primary, intermediate or secondary students during a visit to the province’s supplies department.
In July, Parliament’s Education Committee said it had agreed with the education minister that textbooks should be printed domestically, after criticizing delays and previous reliance on foreign contractors.
