Basra warns private schools against opening before new October start date

BASRA — Basra’s Education Directorate has warned private schools of penalties after some told pupils to come in before the official start of the school year, calling it a clear and deliberate violation of ministry instructions.

Some private school administrations had notified students to attend on dates other than those set by the Education Ministry, the directorate said, without naming any. “We direct all private school administrations to fully comply with the official school attendance dates and not adopt any dates that differ from those set by the ministry,” it said, warning of deterrent penalties and telling schools not to act outside established procedures.

Educational supervisors and local education departments have been told to monitor private schools, check compliance and prepare an urgent report on violations for referral to the ministry.

The ministry put the start of the year in federal Iraq back by three weeks to Oct. 11, while schools in the Kurdistan Region open on Sept. 20 as planned. More than 12 million pupils attend school in federal Iraq. It has denied that the postponement is connected to security plans, the weapons file or the end of the coalition mission on Sept. 30.