Development Road project halts school reconstruction in Abu Ghraib, families demand solution

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s long-awaited Development Road, a strategic corridor meant to connect the southern port of Faw to Europe via Turkey, is moving forward through Abu Ghraib — but residents say the project has come at the expense of local education.

In the Abadi area, where the corridor cuts through about 28 kilometers of Abu Ghraib district, families say construction has disrupted classes for more than 300 students after Jabal al-Sheikh School was demolished for rebuilding and later absorbed into the footprint of a freight exchange station tied to the project.

“We are in Abadi and Jabal al-Sheikh School includes more than 300 students,” said parent Mahmoud al-Zubaie. “The school was demolished because of the exchange station, and our students have been without classes for a week. We demand the site be moved just one kilometer so we can finish the school while the project continues.”

The school, founded in 1970, had served generations of students before it was slated for reconstruction. Residents say the demolition was approved before it was known that the site would fall within the Development Road project.

“We do not oppose the Development Road project,” said resident Murad Taleb. “But the presence of the exchange station on the school site has stopped education, and our students need a quick solution.”

Community leader Nouri al-Masoudi appealed to government leaders for urgent action. “We appeal to the prime minister, the minister of education, the governor of Baghdad, and the head of the provincial council to find an urgent solution for our children after the demolition of Jabal al-Sheikh School,” he told 964media. “The nearby schools are too far from our area, and students cannot continue without an alternative.”

Abu Ghraib district chief Othman al-Maadhedi acknowledged the disruption and said officials are working to resolve the issue. “The Development Road will represent a major economic return for the country, and the route in the capital runs across the entire Abu Ghraib district,” he said. “Regarding Jabal al-Sheikh School, the matter has been addressed in coordination with the Ministry of Transport and Baghdad Governorate, and a final agreement will be signed to resume construction and rebuild the school, as it is one of the key schools in the area and will serve both the project and local residents.”

Iraq’s Development Road is intended to integrate a high-speed railway and modern highway network spanning more than 1,200 kilometers. Officials say the corridor will turn Iraq into a vital land bridge between Asia and Europe, reduce dependence on maritime shipping through the Suez Canal, and create economic opportunities through logistics hubs, passenger stations, and freight exchanges across multiple governorates.