Students demand protections against Iraqi E-Learning monopolies
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Students using licensed online education platforms in Iraq have reported losing access to previously purchased recorded lectures after failing or repeating courses, with some platforms requiring them to purchase new subscriptions for the same classes, according to several users who contacted Shafaq News.
For sixth-year preparatory student Ahmed Mahmoud, the issue emerged when he returned to study the same subjects after repeating the school year. The platform he used requested new payments before allowing him to access the same lectures again.
“I paid 200,000 Iraqi dinars ($154) for each of the mathematics, physics and chemistry courses, in addition to 100,000 Iraqi dinars ($77) for Arabic, bringing the total to 700,000 Iraqi dinars ($538),” Mahmoud observed, noting that he was surprised when the platform blocked his access to the lectures despite the fact that the material had not changed.
Other learners said the current subscription system creates additional financial pressure on those who need more time to complete the same curriculum. “The curriculum is set by the Ministry of Education and only some subjects have change. The lectures we paid for previously do not require updates,” remarked Abdul Amir Ali, rejecting the explanation given by some platforms that renewed fees are needed to update educational content for new students.
Arguing that students repeating an academic year should not be treated in the same way as new subscribers, Ali maintained that subscription conditions did not clearly explain that access to the content would end after one academic year.
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The complaints also extend to communication with platform operators, with student Haneen al-Dulaimi pointing out that attempts by some learners to resolve the issue through technical support channels have not produced clear answers.
After contacting support teams several times and requesting that her complaint be transferred to platform management, al-Dulaimi received only automated responses.
The platforms, however, defend the subscription system, explaining that access is tied to a specific academic period and that students are informed of the terms when they register.
Lama Karim, a technical support official at one Ministry of Education-licensed platform, clarified that subscriptions are valid for one academic year only, adding that lectures are closed on Oct. 1 each year and students wishing to continue using the platform must purchase new subscriptions.
The issue has also reached Iraq’s Parliamentary Education Committee, which is reviewing complaints related to online education platforms and their licensing conditions. Committee member Zuleikha Elias al-Bakkar revealed that the Committee was examining several files related to the platforms, including regulations governing their work.
“Licensed online education platforms are not free from problems, including corruption and unfair conditions,” al-Bakkar told Shafaq News, noting that the Committee plans to discuss the issue further and submit recommendations to the Ministry of Education regarding the rules applied to the platforms.
While coordination between the parliamentary Committee and the Ministry is still developing, he said that efforts are underway to establish regulations that support both students and the education system.
Until the matter is resolved, students who contacted Shafaq News called for platforms to restore access to previously purchased lectures without additional fees unless the curriculum has been updated. They also requested a review of licensing requirements and compensation for part of the fees already paid, arguing that students repeating academic years need clearer protections within Iraq’s growing digital education system.
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