Iraq bans renaming schools to protect graduates' records

Iraq bans renaming schools to protect graduates' records
2026-10-27T12:23:42+00:00

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Iraqi Education Ministry on Tuesday banned changes to the names of schools from primary and secondary schools to vocational schools and institutes, to “protect graduates' academic records and avoid problems verifying where they studied.”

The decision requires the relevant authorities to comply with a ministerial order from the General Directorate of Educational Planning that imposes a complete ban on renaming schools, and holds them responsible for enforcing it.

School names in Iraq have changed repeatedly over the decades, both before and after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, as successive governments and local authorities renamed institutions to reflect political and symbolic shifts. The changes have caused administrative confusion and complicated the verification of graduates' certificates.

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