Turkish school opens in northern Iraq, more schools in demand

Today's Zaman

A private Turkish school has been opened in the northern Iraqi province of Sulaimaniya where in 2008 northern Iraq's first university, Işık University, was also established by Turkish entrepreneurs.

Turkish primary school opened in the northern Iraqi province of Sulaimaniya.
Many officials were in attendance. (Photo: Cihan)

The construction of the Private Işık Primary School and Kindergarten of 24 classes took four months with the cooperation of Sulaimaniye mayor and philanthropists. During his speech during the opening ceremony, Private Işık Primary School and Kindergarten Principal Bekir Erdağ thanked Sulaimaniya Mayor Behrouz Koshani for his help. “We are providing an education by looking at the educational standards achieved in countries all around the world. Our school building includes computer and science labs, a painting class, a library and a multifunctional room for social activities. Our main education language is English, so we are bringing course books from England and Turkey. But we are also offering elective courses in the Kurdish, Turkish and Arabic languages. A total of 620 students are currently receiving education in our school. We will not be able to have any more students registered for next year as we are already fully reserved. There will be a need for a new primary school in the next year. This is great news for Iraq and its future indeed,” said Erdağ.

Sulaimaniya Educational General Manager Cebbar Hama Ahmet also gave a speech at the ceremony saying that they appreciate Turkish educators' efforts to provide Iraqi children with a high-quality education. “We are attaching great importance to private enterprises. In particular, Fezalar Educational Company's quality of education is successful in scientific terms, but it also educates children in terms of values and virtues that make the schools more preferable for the parents. We are ready to do everything we can to increase the number of Turkish schools in our province and country,” said Ahmet.

Among attendees at the opening ceremony were Turkish Ambassador to Arbil Aydın Selcen, Sulaimaniya Mayor Behrouz Koshani and Talip Büyük from Fezalar Educational Company.

Published on Today's Zaman, 01 January 2012, Sunday

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