Whilst the Kurdish Administration is actively engaged in finding the appropriate solutions to the socio-economic problems which confront the area and its society, the educational process is regarded as an essential element of that process. This is not only for the preparation and training of the work force, but also for the development and guidance of the community.
In the forefront of the Administration's educational concerns is the approach to the establishment of an independent Kurdish education system with a sound philosophy and clear-cut objectives.
The education system of the area is a fairly controlled one, with responsibility shared between the Ministry of Education and the Committee for Higher Education. The Ministry of Education makes all long or short-term policy decisions concerning educational stages below university level. Higher Education is the responsibility of the Committee for Higher Education and includes the Foundation of Technical Institutes in the liberated Kurdistan area.
Financing education is the responsibility of the Kurdish Administration and the education system is entirely funded from the Central Administration funds. The Administration finances education of all types and at all levels on an annual basis.
The Educational Ladder in Iraqi Kurdistan consists of 2 years pre-school education for the 4-5 years age group (not compulsory); 6 years compulsory primary education for 6-11 years; 6 years of secondary education of 2 cycles of 3 years each and higher education of 2-6 years.
In addition to academic preparatory, there are also industrial, commercial, arts and agricultural schools, known as Vocational Secondary Education which consist of the same 3 years duration.
There are also three types of Teacher Training Education Institutions in the area, namely, Teacher Training Schools of 3 years study after the completion of the first stage of secondary education, Teacher Training Institutes which offer a two year course, culminating in the Diploma in Education for secondary school graduates, and Specialised Teacher Training Institutes such as the Institute of Fine Arts and the Institute of Special Education. Secondary school teachers are graduates of Colleges of Education at the three Universities.
Higher Education is of 2-6 years study covering the age group 18-23 years. The higher education stage covers Technical Institutes of 2 calendar years, leading to Technical Diplomas or to BA and B.Sc. in the fields of Arts, Science, Fine Arts, Medicine, Engineering and so on. The three Universities of Salahaddin, Sulaimania and Duhok also award specialised Diplomas, B.Sc., Masters and Ph.D.s in the fields of Science, Humanities, Education and Arts.
THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
There are a number of higher education institutions offering a diploma after two academic years' study in: medicine, education, technology, fine arts and hotel and tourism, teachers' training institute and some vocational schools offer baccalaureate qualifications after three years study.
The total numbers of students of Intermediate and Secondary schools in the above provinces of Kurdistan are 121,740, distributed as shown in the Summary of the Statistical Information.
THE NEEDS OF EDUCATION IN IRAQI KURDISTAN
The Kurdish Administration has done a great deal in providing logistics at all levels of education in the area. This covers the provision of free education, staff budgeting as well as basic teaching aids, books, equipment and building maintenance etc. However, these educational establishments require a constant needs scientific support that is beyond the existing system's capacity.
The long-standing difficulties and international embargo on Iraq has hindered developments in the fields of technology and provision of necessary scientific materials. Almost all primary and secondary schools are without any computers. In general, teaching and learning material as well as qualified staff is scarce. The remaining researchers in different fields have also been influenced by the environment and deprived from their needed scientific contacts.
UNIVERSITIES
THE UNIVERSITY OF DUHOK
The University of Duhok is a state university, founded on 14 September 1992 in the city of Duhok. The city of Duhok is regarded as one of the four seats of administration in the liberated part of Iraqi Kurdistan. The province has a population of 750.000 and lies in the valley of Duhok between the two mountains of Chiay Spee (the White Mountain) to the north at 750 m above sea level and Chiay Rash (the Black Mountain) to the south, at 900 m above sea level.
Historically, the name of Duhok is derived from Doh = village and hake = small, together meaning a small village. It has also been said Doh = two and hake = egg, together meaning two eggs, as two unusually large eggs were found in a rock shadow located in what is now the centre of the modern city.
Presently the University of Duhok has eight colleges with a total of 1689 students, distributed as follows:
1. College of Medicine: 286 students in four departments, Surgery and Anatomy, Parasitology and Biology, Chemistry and Physics, and Pathology and Histology, all are offering a six-year course leading to the degree of MBChB.
2. College of Agriculture: 134 students in two departments, Plant Production and Animal Production, both are offering a four-year course leading to the degree of BSc in Agriculture.
3. College of Engineering: 203 students in two departments, Civil Engineering and Irrigation and Drainage, both are offering a four-year course leading to the degree of BSc in Engineering.
4. College of Arts: 396 students in three departments, Kurdish Language, History and English, all are offering a four-year course leading to a BA in Arts.
5. College of Management and Economic: 259 students, is offering a four-year course leading to the BSc degree in ME.
6. College of Sharia (Islamic Studies): 255 students
7. College of Veterinary: 23 students, is offering a five-year course leading to the B.Sc. in Veterinary Science.
8. College of Science (two Dept. only: Physics and Mathematics): 114 students, are offering a four-year course leading to a B.Sc. degree in science.
The University also has an office for Research and Postgraduate Studies with several scientific centres:
- The Central Library
- The Computer Centre
- The Sports Centre
- The Kurdish Studies Centre
- The Agricultural Advisory Centre
- Productive and Applied Agricultural Centre
THE UNIVERSITY OF SALAHADDIN
Arbil, the seat of Kurdistan Regional Government, is about 350 km north of Baghdad. It lies on a flat, rich and fertile plain between two rivers, the Greater Zab and the Lesser Zab. Arbil is one of the oldest cities in the world. Its name was mentioned in the holy writings of the Sumerians (about 2000 BC) as Orbelum or Urbilum and in the Babylonian and Assyrian texts as Arba-Elu. The Kurdish name Hawler is derived from the ancient names. It may refer to the sun Helio, making the city the place of worship of the sun.
The University of Salahaddin, previously named University of Sulaimania (founded in 1968), was moved to Arbil in the academic year 1982 comprising the colleges of Science, Agriculture, Engineering, Administration, Arts, Education and Medicine. College of Law and Politics was founded in the academic year 1985. College of Dentistry was founded in the academic year 1995.
In addition to B.A. and B.Sc. degrees, the University grants M.A., MSc. and Ph.D. degrees in a variety of subjects. Salahaddin University in Arbil is the oldest and biggest in the region and it is a member of the International Association of Universities. The University is affiliated to the Council of Higher Education in the Ministerial Council of Kurdistan Region.
Presently the University of Salahaddin comprises of 12 colleges with a total of 7048 registered students, distributed as follows:
1. College of Medicine: 606 students in eight departments all are offering a six-year course leading to the degree of MBChB.
2. College of Agriculture: 60 students in two departments, Plant Production and Animal Production, both are offering a four-year course leading to the degree of BSc in Agriculture.
3. College of Engineering 950 students in four departments, all offering a four-year course leading to the degree of BSc in Engineering.
4. College of Arts: 1506 students in seven departments, all are offering a four-year course leading to a BA in Arts.
5. College of Education: 1385 students in nine departments, all are offering a four-year course leading to a BEd degree.
6. College of Science 1007 students in five departments, all are offering a four-year course leading to a BSc in Science.
7. College of Management & Economics: 676 students in four departments, all are offering a four-year course leading to a BA degree.
8. College of Law & Politics: 692 students in two departments, both are offering a four-year course leading to a BA degree.
9. College of Physical Education: 55 students in two departments, both are offering a four-year course leading to a BA degree.
10. College of Dentistry: 78 students, is offering a five-year course leading to a B.Sc. degree.
11. College of Pharmacology: 31 Students, is offering a five-year course leading to a B.Sc. in pharmacology (opened 1997/98).
THE UNIVERSITY OF SULAIMANIA
This University is regarded as the first university to be founded in Kurdistan by the Iraqi Regime in 1968. The name of the University comes from the name of the city itself, which has a population of about 900,000 people. The city is surrounded by ranges of mountains varying in height from 850 – 1750 m above sea level. There are some pleasant resorts near the city like Sarchinar, Goyzah, Peramegroon, Karadagh and two big dams, the Derbendekhan and Ducan in the east and south of the city at a distance of 40 miles.
The University was transferred to the city of Arbil in 1982 and its name was changed to Salahaddin University. However, it was re-opened by the Kurdish Regional Government in 1992.
This University now has seven Colleges with a total of 3067 registered students, distributed as follows:
1. College of Agriculture: 405 students in four departments, offering a four-year course leading to the degree of B.Sc. in Agriculture.
2. College of Medicine: 523 students in three divisions, offering a six-year course leading to the degree of MBChB in Medicine.
3. College of Art and Humanities: 1184 students in five departments, offering a four-year course leaden to the degree of BA in Arts and Humanities.
4. College of Science: 508 students in five departments, offering a four-year course leading to the degree B.Sc. in Science.
5. College of Engineering: 319 students in two departments, offering a four-year course leading to the degree of B.Sc. in Engineering.
6. College of Veterinary: 52 students, offering a five-year course leading to the degree of BV.
7. College of Dentistry: 76 students, offering a five-year course leading to the degree of B.H.D.M.
In addition to those, a postgraduate programme started in 1997/98, for M.Sc. and Ph.D. courses; there is also a Diploma in different subjects in Kurdish Language and Literature, Arabic Language, Chemistry, Crop Sciences, Soil Sciences, Horticultural Sciences and Medicine.
The University also has an office for Research and Postgraduate studies and several scientific centres:
Kurdistan Democratic Party - Iraq
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