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Welcome to Cluster 1 - Education and Culture section of the UN Iraq Web Portal.

The purpose of this section is to provide information on activities related to education and culture, undertaken by the United Nations and its partners. 

General information on the Cluster

The Challenge

 The education system in Iraq has deteriorated seriously over the last two decades. The quality of teaching/learning, training of teachers and other education functionaries and authorities and overall management of the education sector has also declined significantly due to years of neglect and abuse for all levels of education. The cultural heritage sites have been subjected to considerable neglect and inappropriate protection and management.

 The key challenges include the urgent need to improve and ensure access to and quality of education for all at all levels of education, to support comprehensive education sector quality reforms including encouragement of the participation of children, parents and society at large in the education reform processes, to link the education system with the contemporary needs of the country, and to improve management efficiency in sustaining educational growth and development.

 In the area of culture, it is essential not only to protect the rich cultural heritage of this great nation from further pilferage, damage, neglect and loss but also to restore cultural institutions to their original status and to ensure greater national and international cooperation in cultural heritage studies, information sharing and research.

 UN Objectives in Education and Culture:

 The UN aims to enhance access to and quality of education at all levels starting with early childhood and progressing to the primary, secondary, technical/vocational and tertiary levels of education; increased participation of various national and international stakeholders and increased internal and external efficiency rates at all levels of education, particularly in vulnerable geographic areas and amongst neglected population groups.  The UN will also advise Iraqi authorities in all possible ways to help protect and restore the nation’s cultural heritage.

 Planned activities in Education and Culture in 2004

• Initiating quality early childhood stimulation and learning,

• Strengthening access to and the quality of formal education at primary, secondary and tertiary levels,

• Providing quality basic education to out-of-school children , youth and adult illiterates through alternative/non-formal channels, with particular attention to young females/girls and women,

• Providing quality technical and vocational education,

• Promoting greater participation of  community/parents/children in the development of education and various education reform processes ,

• Enhancing  educational access for the most vulnerable school age population, particularly girls,

• Training and capacity building of  teachers and other education functionaries and authorities,

• Continuing dialogue on policy formulation and development and reform of the curriculum ,

• Improving the teaching/learning environment at all levels of education through rehabilitation of educational infrastructure, provision of educational supplies,

• Strengthening databases and the Education Management Information System (EMIS),

• Strengthening regional/international and national networking and coordination amongst various national and international partners,

• Providing technical assistance, capacity building and necessary supplies and equipments to institutions of Higher Learning, 

• Assisting the retrieval and restoration of national cultural artefacts that are stolen or missing,

• Improving the management of cultural institutions and sites,

• Promoting greater information-sharing and linkages in the field of cultural heritage.

 UNDG Iraq Trust Fund Projects

The following projects have been approved and are at various stages of implementation: Strengthening Primary and Intermediate levels of education Implementing agency UNICEF]. The total approved budget for this project is US $ 34.2 million. In-Service training for teachers [Implementing agency UNESCO]. The total approved budget is US $ 2.3 million. Strengthening Vocational Education Implementing agency [UNESCO]. The total approved budget for this project is US $ 2.7 million. Literacy and life skills development [Implementing agency UNESCO]. The total approved budget for this project is US$ 2.2 million. Rehabilitation of school buildings [Implementing agency UN-HABITAT]. The total approved budget for this project is US$ 17.5 million. Iraqi Networking academy [Implementing agency ESCWA] : This project aims at strengthening the capacity of 4 selected universities in Iraq to educate, train and graduate  2000 Iraqi students  with up to date knowledge on hardware, software and net working based on contemporary curricula of world known technology leaders. Protecting Iraqi cultural heritage [Implementing agency UNESCO]. The total approved budget for this project is US$ 2 million.

Partners of the Education and Culture Cluster

 UNICEF, UNESCO, UN-HABITAT, ESCWA,UNOPS, UNIDO, UNFPA, UNIFEM, OHCHR, WFP and  WHO, who are working with the WB, the Ministries of Education, Higher Education and Culture, as well as NGOs, community groups, education functionaries including teachers/ principals, parents, children, international education institutions, donor agencies and the private sector.

Cluster manager:  Geeta Verma
Email address: gverma@unicef.org  

 Deputy cluster manager:  Qutub Khan
Email address: q.khan@unesco.org

Documents
Library of Education related information - containing repots, assessments and related information.

Education Sector Coordination Meetings Minutes

Cluster 1 Meeting Minutes (28.1 KB  doc format)

Note!  Questions / suggestions concerning the content of this section can be directed to the UNAMI Office in Amman through the feedback form
 

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