Construction of 31 new schools in Maysan approved

MAYSAN — Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani approved the construction of 31 new schools in Maysan governorate under the Development Fund Project, adding to the governorate’s previously allocated educational resources. This decision, according to a statement by the Ministry of Education, was announced during a meeting with Jawad Kazem Al-Saghri, director general of Maysan’s Education Directorate. It includes equipping 52 schools funded by Chinese loans with essential logistical supplies. Additionally, three schools will be outfitted with laboratories, smart screens, and advanced surveillance cameras.

The statement highlighted the importance of accelerating the rehabilitation of 20 remaining school buildings under the Service Effort Initiative, alongside completing maintenance work on 100 schools as part of the “My School is More Beautiful” Initiative. These measures aim to establish institutional integration and create an improved educational environment suitable for students across the province.

“Maysan province has received comprehensive educational support from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, who issued several crucial decisions during our meeting today to uplift and improve the educational process in the region,” said Jawad Kazem Al-Saghri, director general of Maysan’s Education Directorate, according to the statement.

In addition to infrastructure development, Al-Sudani approved a plan to equip all schools in the province with free fiber-optic internet. This step, the statement says, aligns with Iraq’s broader digital transformation strategy, ensuring students and teachers have reliable connectivity to support modern teaching methods and digital learning platforms.

The statement also mentioned the longstanding issue of adequate housing for educators. The prime minister approved coordination with relevant authorities to establish a residential district dedicated to teachers, administrative staff, and educators, modeled after the Old and New Teachers’ Housing Districts.

In December 2021, Iraq and China initiated a collaborative project to construct 1,000 schools across Iraq, aiming to address the country’s educational infrastructure challenges. As of November 2024, significant progress has been made, with over 900 schools completed. This initiative is part of Iraq’s broader plan to build a total of 8,000 new schools to accommodate the growing number of students and improve the quality of education nationwide.