Shafaq News – Kirkuk

Nearly a decade after battles with ISIS left their only school in ruins, children in al-Jadida village, southwest of Kirkuk in northern Iraq, are still deprived of classrooms as residents demand reconstruction.

Locals gather regularly to press for their children’s right to education, warning that the continued closure has forced pupils to walk long distances to schools in neighboring villages, despite poor roads and the absence of reliable transport. Parents told Shafaq News that the lack of a functioning school is not only depriving children of learning but also weakening community life and jeopardizing their future job prospects.

Muwaffaq Nouri, director of al-Rashad subdistrict, which includes al-Jadida, confirmed to Shafaq News that the area has 38 schools serving hundreds of students across primary, intermediate, and secondary levels. However, more than five villages remain deserted since the 2014 ISIS conflict, and in others, schools are still destroyed and awaiting reconstruction.

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The absence of a local budget for nearly two years has stalled rebuilding efforts, including the school in al-Jadid, he noted.