The Educational Gap Deepens in Iraq… COVID-19 Exacerbates Disparities and Increases School Dropout Rates

Girls Bear the Brunt of Truancy and Educational Deprivation

In the autumn of 2018, Aya Salem, a six-year-old who embarked on her inaugural educational journey, achieved noteworthy milestones within four months of her initiation into formal education. During this period, she proficiently mastered the ability to write her name, her parents’ names, and the appellation of her school situated in the Noor neighbourhood of Mosul. Furthermore, she acquired the fundamental skills of addition and subtraction in mathematics.

“By the conclusion of the second semester in the summer of 2019, Aya demonstrated proficiency in spelling, sentence construction, and actively engaged in letter-writing competitions with her classmates. In stark contrast, Mohammad, commencing his schooling amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, had just begun to grasp the alphabet by the end of his initial year, as he transitioned to the second grade,” her father reminisces, glancing at her younger brother, Mohammad, who is two years her junior.

The father, an administrative employee supporting a family of seven, including five children at various educational levels, affirms that Aya’s educational performance, as well as Mohammad’s and the rest of his children, has been significantly impacted during the years of the virus spread. This is primarily due to their frequent school absence, given the absence of online learning possibilities. He elaborates, “I discern this through the lessons and knowledge acquired by each child, comparing them with their peers at the same academic stage.”

In February 2020, eleven million Iraqi students could no longer go to school. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with precautionary measures and the shutdown of all educational establishments, posed a significant challenge to the educational trajectory of a developing nation like Iraq. The partial closure lasted for 55 academic days, whereas the full closure of school activities extended to 255 academic days, as reported by UNICEF and UNESCO statistics.

Number of Days of Partial and Full Lockdown in The Middle East and North Africa Region

Partial lockdown in Iraq lasted for 55 days, whereas full lockdown extended to 255 academic days.

COVID-19 and Education Setback

The prolonged disruption in education caused by both partial and full lockdown has exacerbated the disparity between the knowledge students have acquired and what is expected at their current academic stages. Consequently, there has been a rise in educational deficiencies, manifested by gaps in the curriculum and missed educational content. As students progress in their academic journey, these gaps impact their skills and pose challenges in obtaining the necessary information, resulting in an educational divide in the comprehension of academic materials.

Layla Omar, a 22-year-old third-year medical student at the University of Mosul, browses through her old lecture notes and shares them with a fifth-year colleague who expresses his surprise at her inadequate knowledge of vital medical information. She remarks, “We were not instructed on; these are the notes from our lectures on that subject, and there is no mention of this information.”

Standing outside the college printing services office, Layla is there to photocopy lectures from a colleague who graduated years ago. She reflects, “COVID-19 has resulted in a knowledge gap that significantly impacted our studies in the College of Medicine during the closure, lockdown, and social distancing period. We missed out on numerous practical lectures, particularly those involving field visits to hospitals and patient observation. This loss represents a significant setback in acquiring essential information.” She emphasises, “What we have lost in a year and a half will not be easily compensated.”

Faten Mahmoud, a 21-year-old student in the Department of Business Administration at the University of Anbar, shares a similar perspective, remarking, “The interruption of education and the shift to online learning as a substitute for in-person classes have impacted all students, including the high achievers. We face a broad and accumulating knowledge gap over the years, and not everyone can narrow this gap due to the multiplication of information they did not receive due to neglected teaching in the past.”

Faten further elaborates, “Some students lack knowledge of essential mathematical and statistical programs crucial for their research projects, as they were deprived of learning them due to the study interruptions. In essence, it’s challenging to assimilate three years’ worth of information in just one year.”

Faten enrolled in the first stage of the academic year 2019-2020, and after only three months of studying, the decision was made to close educational institutions, leaving many fundamental scientific concepts unexplored. Four years later, she discovered herself struggling to comprehend and address numerous requirements in her graduation research, particularly as most subjects are interconnected.

Compounding the problem is the laxity and negligence in studying certain subjects, including their removal from the essential educational curriculum that students are required to complete.

Academic researcher Salim Hamza points out that “shocks and crises in developing societies create an environment conducive to laxity and negligence, thereby widening the knowledge gap and fostering increased scientific corruption.”

He gives an example to illustrate this point: “The shock experienced by the global economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic affected countries worldwide, with the deepest impact being concentrated in developing nations already grappling with weakness and fragility.”

Khaled Hussein, a third-year middle school student from Mosul, the centre of Nineveh Governorate, mentions that in the years before COVID-19, his grades were consistently low in most exams, barely scoring 50% in mathematics and chemistry. Surprisingly, during COVID-19 and the shift to online learning, he found exams easier to pass. Khaled notes, “The materials we received throughout the closure period were limited compared to what was required, especially since the school administration became more lenient regarding the academic standards after the virus spread.”

Khaled’s experience mirrors a prevalent trend among students across various academic levels, benefiting from the circumstances of the lockdown to improve their grades and pass exams without genuinely acquiring academic merit. This resulted in their progression to higher stages without possessing the necessary knowledge. This, in turn, exacerbated the issue in the subsequent year, contributing to increased failure rates in the academic year 2021-2022.

Dr. Fadwa Ali, a lecturer at the Technical University, addresses the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on educational shortcomings, noting, “It may be challenging for us to fully gauge the true extent of the impact on the academic level at this moment. Education is a means through which students acquire knowledge that equips them with skills. Thus, many students who dropped out of school or were unable to make up for missed scientific subjects will bear the losses of education for many years.”

She adds, “Certainly, this will hinder their entry into the labour market in light of their lack of necessary skills, especially in the context of rapid technological advancements and the increasing number of degree holders.”

Literacy Rate in Iraq During the Period 2010-2022

A decline in the literacy rate for the academic years 2021 and 2022 in Iraq due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The literacy rates among ten-year-old students indicate a decline in reading and writing proficiency following the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a survey conducted by UNICEF to evaluate reading skills in the early grades, it is evident that the majority of Iraqi students in the second and third grades did not grasp age-appropriate materials. Another survey by UNICEF in 2022 revealed that only 75% of children in primary schools and less than 50% in secondary schools have successfully completed their education.

According to a study by the World Bank in 2022, Iraqi students were significantly lagging behind their counterparts even before the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in terms of human capital development measured by the World Bank’s Human Capital Index. The World Bank anticipates that Iraqi students will achieve only 41% on average of their productive capacities as they grow older or advance to higher educational levels.

Covid-19 Increases School Dropout Rates

The simultaneous deterioration of the economic and security conditions in Iraq, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, has posed a dual crisis. Many students were compelled to discontinue their education. Looking at the figure below, it becomes evident that the number of students dropping out of education has increased, especially during the academic year 2020-2021, when the impact of the coronavirus was particularly significant.

Number of Students Dropping Out of School in Iraq

Duha Ibrahim, a lecturer at the University of Mosul, attributes the real reasons for the significant dropout rates of students in recent years to the economic challenges stemming from a decline in oil prices, pervasive corruption, and precarious security conditions across various Iraqi governorates. This situation has coincided with the impact of COVID-19, exacerbating the rise in poverty rates.

She notes that a significant number of students come from regions outside the governorate, and their financial situations hinder them from fulfilling all the requirements of their studies. She emphasises that the dropout rate for female students is notably higher than that of male students, showing an upward trend amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The figure below shows that the dropout or leaving school for females is higher than that for males, reaching 11.4% for females compared to 5.4% for males, which is more than double the rate.

According to UNESCO, widespread school closures in developing countries pose significant risks, particularly for vulnerable groups, with girls being more prone to dropping out of school at a rate two and a half times higher than boys. This is evident in the data presented above, where the dropout rate for girls during the academic year 2020-2021 reached 11.4, compared to 5.4 for boys.

In this regard, social researcher Shaimaa Abdulaziz (37 years old) points out that women and girls in our societies, described as conservative, “bear many burdens beyond their capacity. Circumstances and conditions compel them to handle many domestic responsibilities, reflecting on their academic and professional development paths.”

She explains, “Amid the loss of jobs and businesses due to closures and lockdowns, many families forced their daughters into marriage to alleviate financial burdens. This is particularly true as many of these girls could not sustain remote learning due to relatively unfavourable conditions compared to males. Many of them had no choice but to either marry at an early age or stay at home, enduring various pressures and deprivation.”

Nagham Hazem (20 years old) was unable to continue her education like her classmates after her father decided to arrange her marriage to one of their relatives. All her attempts to refuse failed against her father’s insistence and her mother’s compliance. With a tinge of sadness, she expresses, “I had to drop out of school when I was in the fifth grade of middle school in 2020 as a result of the closure of schools amid the pandemic. I couldn’t continue remote learning like many of my peers. My family forced me to marry a relative because of our poverty, particularly after my father lost his job in construction.”

She pauses for a moment, then continues with teary eyes, “I reluctantly agreed to the marriage. I found no one to support me or hold my hand.” She raises her left hand, displaying the wedding ring, and says, “We are victims of a traditional and oppressive society. I hope that my little sister will not suffer the same fate.”

Nagham is one of the hundreds of girls who gave up their education to be forced into marriage in unstable conditions, bearing the burden of their families’ backwardness and poverty. They face societal pressure, which intensified amid the closures and lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, domestic abuse and forcing girls into household chores during the school interruption compelled many of them to choose marriage over staying at their parents’ homes.

In 2021, harsh conditions and extreme poverty led Khaled Youssef to discontinue his studies at the College of Agriculture at Tikrit University in order to support his family after his father’s death due to the coronavirus. As the eldest son, he bears the responsibility of providing for his six-member family. Khaled, who appeared tired, says while cleaning a table in his modest street food restaurant in Al-Khalidiya, “I never expected this to happen to us, to leave my studies so easily. Sometimes, we have to sacrifice what’s important for the sake of what’s most crucial, and I chose my family.” He concludes with a hopeful smile, “Perhaps the situation will improve one day, and I’ll return to complete my studies and obtain my university degree.”

According to several reports from UNICEF, dropping out of school poses a significant challenge for many to recover the lost time during the pandemic. This results in a considerable gap in knowledge, skills, and education compared to those who preceded them in those academic stages. This issue exacerbates for students facing difficulties in comprehension and understanding, ultimately leading to their drop out from school.

The surge in dropout rates is ascribed to the economic insecurity and political deterioration in Iraq at large, especially in those specific governorates. Many academics and civil activists connect the escalating dropout rates to heightened poverty and worsening living conditions. The poverty rate increased to 31.7% by the end of 2022 compared to 22% at the end of 2019, exacerbating the education situation and contributing to the dropout of numerous students.

This is also noticeable through the decline in the number of high school graduates for the academic year 2020-2021 compared to previous years, demonstrating the extent to which the education of many students was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statistics on Graduates: High school, Bachelor’s degree, and Postgraduate in Iraq

Decline in the number of high school graduates in Iraq After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dr. Hashem Mohammed Saeed, a lecturer at the University of Zakho, believes that the increasing poverty in Iraq would elevate the significance of the Multidimensional Poverty Index, reflecting the fragility of society. By analyzing the values and proportions of these indicators shown in the figure below, we can grasp the vulnerability of the Iraqi economy and poverty conditions. In 2022, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the indicators within this index, such as educational attainment, waste disposal, access to drinking water, and enrolment in education, experienced an upward trend. This highlights the reciprocal relationship between poverty and education, which has become deeply ingrained in Iraqi society.

Multidimensional Poverty in Iraq for the Year 2022

The above map shows the geographical distribution of poverty and vulnerability rates in the governorates of Iraq. It is apparent that Wasit, Dhi Qar, and Babylon have the highest poverty and vulnerability rates, followed by Najaf, Maysan, Basra, and Diyala.

Education in Iraq Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

The years preceding the onset of COVID-19 were marked by political and economic instability in Iraq. Starting from the 1980s, Iraq went through the Iran-Iraq War, followed by the economic blockade and international economic sanctions in the 1990s, posing numerous challenges across various sectors. Subsequently, Iraq faced the period of the U.S. occupation in 2003, leading to significant political, economic, and social changes. These changes had far-reaching effects on various sectors, including education. The unstable security conditions in the country, coupled with the control of large parts of Iraq by ISIS between 2014 and 2017 led to a halt in the educational process in some regions and governorates. The battles to liberate these areas resulted in the destruction of numerous schools, universities, and educational facilities, contributing to increased school dropout rates.

In early March 2020, students found themselves suddenly facing the decision to suspend classes. This unexpected move led to mental distress regarding their academic future, graduation procedures, and anxiety about the possibility of returning to classrooms and traditionally taking exams.

This led to a decline in many essential education indicators. To clearly understand the reality of the education process in Iraq, let’s examine some of the key indicators:

The Size of Government Spending on Education in Iraq

Overall education spending encompasses all funds designated within the framework of both current and investment expenditures for all educational levels, spanning from kindergarten to primary, secondary, university, and higher education. These allocations fluctuate up and down according to changes in the general budget.

The available data in the figure below shows the proportions of spending on education to the total GDP in Iraq during the period (2015-2022). The highest percentage of education spending was in 2016, reaching 4.9%. Despite fluctuations in education spending allocations corresponding to changes in the country’s general budget, the percentage of spending on education remains remarkably low compared to the actual requirements of the education sector and the overall public revenues of Iraq. Additionally, the share of education spending to the total public spending has not surpassed 21%, marking the highest point compared to previous years.

Dr. Wafaa Sabah, a lecturer at the University of Duhok, emphasises that the education sector’s insufficient funding and inadequate allocations have adversely affected the developmental path of educational infrastructure. The allocated funds fall short of meeting the actual requirements for the growth and advancement of this crucial sector, which plays a fundamental role in the progress of nations. She further notes, “All governorates suffer from a severe shortage of schools, leading to notable student overcrowding and the implementation of double and triple shifts, becoming distinctive features of the Iraqi education system. All these factors leave a negative impact on both teachers and students, significantly contributing to the deterioration of the education system.”

Teaching Staff and Schools

As per statistics released by the Iraqi government in mid-August 2023, provided by the Ministry of Education, the country is grappling with a shortage of educational staff. This is evident despite appointments made by the Federal Public Service Council for volunteer teachers, spanning across thousands of job grades and various specialisations, including kindergarten, primary, and secondary teachers.

Additionally, government statistics highlight a cumulative gap in various educational staff, estimated at 87,743 educational positions.

According to the Ministry of Education, the actual demand for educational staff is distributed as follows: 3,199 female kindergarten teachers, with an estimated need of 66,353 teachers for primary schools, and 18,191 teachers for high, secondary, and middle schools combined.

Despite the increasing numbers of primary and secondary schools, population growth rates surpass the available educational supply. The actual demand dictates the establishment of an additional 8,000 schools, as announced by the Ministry of Education.

In Iraq, akin to many developing countries, the prevalent strategy for addressing the shortage of schools involves the implementation of a double or triple-shift system. According to statistics from the Ministry of Education, the average number of students in primary schools reaches 45 students per class.

In secondary school, the average number of students per class is 41, while in middle school, the figure ranges from 37 to 40 students per class.

Overcrowding classrooms with a high number of students can hinder the teaching process, making it difficult for teachers to effectively deliver academic information to students, and reduce the level of interaction within the classroom.

Adopted Solutions to Complete the Academic Year

According to UNESCO statistics, the number of students who dropped out of school due to COVID-19 reached 1.344 billion, and 914,000 male and female students in 138 countries globally, accounting for 82.2% of students enrolled in schools. Approximately 83 million students were affected in Arab countries.

To tackle this challenge, UNESCO promoted the adoption of online education to compensate for in-person learning, aiming to mitigate educational losses through various applications and digital platforms. However, countries exhibit disparities in technological readiness, e-learning mechanisms, and expenditures, leading to a prevalent digital gap.

In Iraq, remote education was employed through diverse applications and electronic platforms, supplemented by televised programs, to conclude the academic year. The year culminated with electronic exams. Despite endeavours to teach students scientific subjects and terms and facilitate communication for the educational process, the online system and remote study fell short of adequately providing students with the necessary information and knowledge.

In this context, Dr. Mohammed Ahmed, a teacher at Anbar Educational Directorate, remarked, “Despite all efforts in online education, we couldn’t establish a conducive environment through platforms and applications. Many scientific subjects at all levels require practical and applied aspects, as well as interaction. Additionally, not all students acquire information and learn at the same pace due to their varying academic levels and cognitive abilities; some require more explanations and answers to more extensive questions than others.”

He further elaborates, stating, “As lecturers and teachers, we employ various methods to convey information to the students. At times, we resort to altering the method of explanation and incorporating different incentives, such as using examples, encouragement techniques, modifying the tone of voice, and adjusting how information is presented.”

Fadia Hazem, a lecturer at the University of Duhok, described online teaching as exhausting, expressing, “E-learning added a lot of effort and burden to educators and distracted students. The lack of technical knowledge among many students and teachers, especially since it was a new experience, made it less satisfactory. As a teacher, I was not familiar with all those applications that we used later.”

Nawal Hamed, a lecturer at the University of Kirkuk, mentioned that remote teaching took up a significant portion of her day, presenting numerous challenges such as frequent power outages and poor internet connectivity, exacerbated by increased usage during lockdowns.

In addition to the substantial number of students in each class, which compelled her to invest a considerable amount of time in delivering lectures, uploading content, sending materials to students, and responding to their questions, her school day commenced in the morning and extended into the evening. This resulted in significant fatigue for her and many teachers, especially those with families and school-aged children.

The implementation of online learning is effective in technologically advanced countries or those with a robust digital infrastructure and fast internet networks, enhancing the educational process. However, for countries like Iraq, contending with electricity shortages, weak infrastructure, and slow internet speeds intensified by increased and sustained usage during lockdowns, the transition has proven to be exceptionally challenging.

The circumstances have deprived many students of utilising technology for remote learning and communication with schools and universities. A significant number lacked access to communication devices, computers, books, software, and skills, not to mention the difficulty in connecting to the internet in many locations.

It is evident that the effectiveness of remote learning is closely tied to the resources available in students’ or teachers’ homes, such as internet connectivity, digital devices, and the participation of parents, especially for younger children.

Ziyad Ali, a student at the College of Science, University of Baghdad, expressed his struggles with online learning, leading to his failure in the third academic year. He said, “I failed in the third academic year due to my inability to engage in remote learning and perform electronic exams. This was the first time I failed throughout my years of study.”

Low-income families in Iraq, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis, face the most significant challenges in accessing online learning, as they struggle due to the inability to afford internet costs or suitable devices.

Regarding educational institutions in Iraq, Human Rights Watch discovered that schools were unprepared to offer remote education for all students when the pandemic struck. Prolonged neglect by governments in addressing discrimination and inequality in educational systems, ensuring essential public services like electricity in homes, and facilitating low-cost internet access resulted in significant shortcomings.

Accordingly, many educational institutions have revealed significant weaknesses in their ability to keep up with developments, whether in the realms of disasters and pandemics or in the digital world.

Iraq Outside International Education Rankings

Even with over 46 public universities, 45 private universities and colleges, and various government and private institutes, Iraq falls short of securing a position in the top 100 global rankings according to international standards. In the QS World University Rankings 2022, no Iraqi university was ranked among the top 100 globally.

As of January 2023, the most recent Webometrics ranking positioned the University of Baghdad as the top-ranked Iraqi university globally at 1779, followed by Mosul University at 2706 and Al-Nahrain University at 2816. However, these rankings are relatively low on the global scale.

As for the ShanghaiRanking’s Academic Ranking of World Universities in 2021, no Iraqi university was ranked among the top 100 in the world.  Moreover, Iraq was excluded from the Davos Global Competitiveness Index for Education Quality in 2022.

* This article was produced with the support of the International Centre for Journalists as part of the Engage project.