Over 12 million students to begin 2026-2027 academic year in Iraq

Iraqi Primary School Students Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq’s Ministry of Education announced on Monday, September 14, 2026, the complete finalization of its operational preparations for the upcoming 2026–2027 academic year, confirming that over 12 million pupils and students are set to return to classrooms nationwide. Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), ministry spokesperson Karim Al-Sayed affirmed that administrative bodies across the country had pre-planned schedules, operational timelines, and logistics well in advance to ensure a smooth, synchronized opening across all educational tiers. Teaching and administrative faculties formally resumed duties on September 1 to complete preliminary registrations and stage second-round examination cycles ahead of incoming student bodies. Al-Sayed detailed that the 12 million pupil cohort spans primary and secondary schools, specialized vocational institutes, and private academic institutions across Iraq, with first-grade primary enrollments alone accounting for more than 1.2 million newly registered children. To manage the massive student influx, Minister of Education Abdul Karim Abtan Al-Jubouri convened a series of emergency high-level meetings with the ministry’s senior leadership to review core readiness metrics. Key priorities centered on the timely printing and nationwide delivery of standard curricula and textbooks, the rehabilitation and readiness of school buildings, and balanced staff reassignments across governorates. While Al-Sayed highlighted ongoing inter-agency coordination with provincial directorates to resolve local bottlenecks on the ground, he candidly acknowledged that achieving systemic, long-term modernization across Iraq’s educational landscape ultimately requires expanded budgetary appropriations and significantly larger capital investment frameworks.