Destroyed schools in west Mosul affecting education
72 views · Published 26 November 2018 · 3:21 · Indexed 9 October 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(21 Nov 2018) LEADIN: The new school year has started all across Mosul. But the pupils of Al Bashair primary school are attending their classes in makeshift containers among the ruins of what use to be their school building. STORYLINE: It's time for school. There's laughter and games in the playground before lessons begin. But all around, the destruction is clear to see. Mosul was the scene of fierce fighting as Iraqi forces battled the Islamic State group for control of the city. Many buildings - including schools - were damaged. In west Mosul, some schools haven't been rebuilt and the rest lack basic services such as electricity, water and sanitary facilities. The children of Al Bashair primary school are having to attend their classes in makeshift containers located among the ruins of what use to be their school building. And teachers are worried about the impact these surroundings have on their young pupils. "It will have an impact on the mental health of the students because the school has been destroyed," says Mohammed Amer Mahmoud, a teacher at Al Bashair primary school. "We have our classes here, but once he (pupil) gets out to the yard, he (pupil) will see the destruction and remember the shelling and the suffering that we passed through for three years." According to an official from the Nineveh education department, there were more than 2,700 schools operating in Mosul before IS seized the city. But only 1,660 schools are ready for the new school year. The Iraqi Ministry of Education, the UN, German Development Agency GIZ, and some other international NGOs, have participated in the rebuilding and the rehabilitation of those schools. In West Mosul, 84 schools were totally demolished because of the military operations in 2017. And more than 600 schools have seen 50 to 75 percent of their buildings destroyed. Four hundred more require refurbishment. In Mosul alone, over 800,000 students have enrolled for this academic year which started on 2 October, compared to 734,850 students in the previous year. But there are fewer teachers and educational to provide that education - 44,000 are back on duty, compared to more than 50,000 before IS arrived. Mosul is the main city of Nineveh Governorate, and the second largest in Iraq. It fell under the control of Islamic State in June 2014, and was recaptured by the Iraqi forces in July 2017. Compared to the rest of Mosul, the western part saw the greatest destruction due to the fierce fighting between the Iraqi forces and Islamic State group. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/32c1de23d35f3e21c6be342818b10390
