Shafaq News / Iraq's caretaker Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, made a speech today, Sunday, during the Transforming Education Summit Concurrently Held with the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Al-Kadhimi said, "In the last century, Iraq witnessed pioneering educational development. It was a regional beacon in the field of education with its academic institutions; the illiteracy rate was reduced to its lowest levels. However, after two devastating wars, economic sanctions, another war, the collapse of the totalitarian regime, and devastating social, economic, and political crises, education in Iraq deteriorated dramatically."

"During our democratic era, Iraq was keen to develop and strengthen its educational system. The new Iraqi constitution regulated public education and educational policy. It enshrined the individual's right to education, making it mandatory at the primary stages and free of charge at all levels", he said, adding, "The Government of Iraq has taken urgent and qualitative measures in light of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, as we sought to support tools for self-learning and distance education through electronic platforms and portals; To shift to integrated digitization that includes educational curricula."

The Prime Minister pointed out, "The Government of Iraq renews its commitment to implement the goals of the National Strategy for Public Education and Higher Education for the year 2030, the most important of which is increasing the enrollment rate in schools to reach 100%, improving the quality of public and higher education, enhancing skills following the requirements of the labor market, and economic development."

"We have sought to ensure sustainable funding for the education sector, increasing the education sector share to reach 4.5% of GDP, increasing government investment in education from 7% for the current year to 10% in 2031, and securing funding through the state budget for financing the «Development and Reform of Education Transformation Projects."

"We meet today in pursuit of the fourth goal of sustainable development, "Quality Education" which you emphasized in the comprehensive vision entitled "Our Common Agenda".

Al-Kadhimi indicated, "We have adopted a comprehensive national program that aims to reduce learning gaps, by 2030, in terms of gender, people with special needs, internally displaced individuals, and poorer sectors of society", noting, "We believe in the need to invest in education; Accordingly, we launched a campaign to build hundreds of schools in the various governorates of Iraq, in addition to facilitating the tasks of building universities and colleges."

He concluded, "Iraq calls on the international community to support its vision of the «Education Transformation Program» in the technical fields, staff training, digital transformation, and infrastructure rehabilitation. We look forward to enhanced cooperation and exchange of expertise internationally in all areas of education development."