Papers by Matthew Griffiths
This report contains a situation analysis of girls’ education in Iraq and recommendations for imp... more This report contains a situation analysis of girls’ education in Iraq and recommendations for improving
girls’ access to good quality schooling. The situation analysis is based on enrolment data provided by
the Ministry of Education in Iraq, a range of currently available reports and other documentation, and
on the responses of 80 Iraqi girls to a questionnaire relating to their own experiences of school and
their views on girls’ education. The picture is incomplete because no data on girls’ attendance or
success rates are available and these are crucial to a full situational analysis.
In Iraq the overall number of children receiving primary education has declined between 2004-05 and
2007-08 by 88,164, with no improvement in the percentage of girls enrolled. Gross enrolment figures
provided for the academic year 2005 – 2005 show 5,163,440 children enrolled in primary education.
Girls account for 44.74% of students. Figures for 2007-2008 show 5,065,276 children enrolled in
primary education, with 44.8 % being girls. This means that for every 100 boys enrolled in primary
schools in Iraq, there are just under 89 girls.
This under representation of girls in primary school in Iraq has been known for many years. The fact
that there are declining numbers of girls in each successive grade has also been identified analyses of
the data. Analysis of the 2007 -2008 data shows the same picture. In every governorate a smaller
percentage of girls than boys start school. There are no governorates where the number of children
completing primary education is acceptable, and it is even less acceptable for girls. The current data
replicate previously available data in showing a generally declining percentage of girls in each
successive primary school grade. Some 75% of girls who start school have dropped out during, or at
the end of, primary school and so do not go on to intermediate education. Many of them will have
dropped out after grade 1. When all governorates’ figures are combined, there are 21.66% fewer girls
in grade 2 than in grade 1. Similarly there is a 28.63% national drop in the number of girls between
grades 5 and 6. By the first intermediate class, only 25% the number of girls in grade 1 are in school;
by the third intermediate class the figure is 20%.
The percentage of girls in primary school classes in highest in Erbil, Dohuk and Sulaimaniya. These
three governorates also have the highest percentage of children in pre-school education. In Erbil
15.8% of children attend preschool provision, Dohuk 11.3% and Sulaimaniya 11.4% compared with,
for example 5.7% in Baghdad, 8.6% in Kirkuk, or 3.3% in Diyala.
There is also a major issue with the number of children in each grade who are over age. The
difference between gross and net enrolment data for 2007-08 shows that 659,896 children are above
the age for the grade that they are in. This represents 13% of all primary school children - more than
one in every ten. Of those children, 228,829 children were still attending primary school when they
were aged 13 – 15+.
The net enrolment rate for girls 45.8%, as against a gross enrolment rate of 44.8%. This shows a
significantly greater number of overage boys than girls. For example, only one third of teenagers still in
primary schools were girls.
5
In order to increase girls’ participation in education, it is vital to gain an insight into why they never
attend school or drop out before completing their basic education. A small scale survey of 80 Iraqi girls
was therefore included in this piece of work. While this is not a large or statistically valid sample, their
responses provide a clear insight into many of the reasons why girls do not go to school. As would be
expected, parents, particularly fathers, play a major role in whether the girls can attend school or not.
The girls refer to a range of reasons why families do not support girls attending school. These include
concerns about safety, family poverty, a reluctance to allow adolescent girls to continue to attend
school, the distance from home to school, early marriage and the need to help at home. The journey
to and from school presents problems caused by fast traffic, dogs or boys. Girls are frequently demotivated
by the behaviour of teachers who beat them, distress them and are unwilling to explain
subject matter that a student does not understand. Their answers make frequent references to being
beaten or insulted by teachers, and to teachers being unwilling to give explanations in lessons or
support students in their learning. The girls describe their schools are unwelcoming and unpleasant
with too few facilities and resources. Schools are described as dirty, poorly maintained and
uncomfortable, with dirty lavatories and no drinking water available. Safety is an issue, particularly in
areas of major instability and insecurity. The concerns about safety relate to both military conflict and
civil crime such as abduction and rape.
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Papers by Matthew Griffiths
girls’ access to good quality schooling. The situation analysis is based on enrolment data provided by
the Ministry of Education in Iraq, a range of currently available reports and other documentation, and
on the responses of 80 Iraqi girls to a questionnaire relating to their own experiences of school and
their views on girls’ education. The picture is incomplete because no data on girls’ attendance or
success rates are available and these are crucial to a full situational analysis.
In Iraq the overall number of children receiving primary education has declined between 2004-05 and
2007-08 by 88,164, with no improvement in the percentage of girls enrolled. Gross enrolment figures
provided for the academic year 2005 – 2005 show 5,163,440 children enrolled in primary education.
Girls account for 44.74% of students. Figures for 2007-2008 show 5,065,276 children enrolled in
primary education, with 44.8 % being girls. This means that for every 100 boys enrolled in primary
schools in Iraq, there are just under 89 girls.
This under representation of girls in primary school in Iraq has been known for many years. The fact
that there are declining numbers of girls in each successive grade has also been identified analyses of
the data. Analysis of the 2007 -2008 data shows the same picture. In every governorate a smaller
percentage of girls than boys start school. There are no governorates where the number of children
completing primary education is acceptable, and it is even less acceptable for girls. The current data
replicate previously available data in showing a generally declining percentage of girls in each
successive primary school grade. Some 75% of girls who start school have dropped out during, or at
the end of, primary school and so do not go on to intermediate education. Many of them will have
dropped out after grade 1. When all governorates’ figures are combined, there are 21.66% fewer girls
in grade 2 than in grade 1. Similarly there is a 28.63% national drop in the number of girls between
grades 5 and 6. By the first intermediate class, only 25% the number of girls in grade 1 are in school;
by the third intermediate class the figure is 20%.
The percentage of girls in primary school classes in highest in Erbil, Dohuk and Sulaimaniya. These
three governorates also have the highest percentage of children in pre-school education. In Erbil
15.8% of children attend preschool provision, Dohuk 11.3% and Sulaimaniya 11.4% compared with,
for example 5.7% in Baghdad, 8.6% in Kirkuk, or 3.3% in Diyala.
There is also a major issue with the number of children in each grade who are over age. The
difference between gross and net enrolment data for 2007-08 shows that 659,896 children are above
the age for the grade that they are in. This represents 13% of all primary school children - more than
one in every ten. Of those children, 228,829 children were still attending primary school when they
were aged 13 – 15+.
The net enrolment rate for girls 45.8%, as against a gross enrolment rate of 44.8%. This shows a
significantly greater number of overage boys than girls. For example, only one third of teenagers still in
primary schools were girls.
5
In order to increase girls’ participation in education, it is vital to gain an insight into why they never
attend school or drop out before completing their basic education. A small scale survey of 80 Iraqi girls
was therefore included in this piece of work. While this is not a large or statistically valid sample, their
responses provide a clear insight into many of the reasons why girls do not go to school. As would be
expected, parents, particularly fathers, play a major role in whether the girls can attend school or not.
The girls refer to a range of reasons why families do not support girls attending school. These include
concerns about safety, family poverty, a reluctance to allow adolescent girls to continue to attend
school, the distance from home to school, early marriage and the need to help at home. The journey
to and from school presents problems caused by fast traffic, dogs or boys. Girls are frequently demotivated
by the behaviour of teachers who beat them, distress them and are unwilling to explain
subject matter that a student does not understand. Their answers make frequent references to being
beaten or insulted by teachers, and to teachers being unwilling to give explanations in lessons or
support students in their learning. The girls describe their schools are unwelcoming and unpleasant
with too few facilities and resources. Schools are described as dirty, poorly maintained and
uncomfortable, with dirty lavatories and no drinking water available. Safety is an issue, particularly in
areas of major instability and insecurity. The concerns about safety relate to both military conflict and
civil crime such as abduction and rape.
girls’ access to good quality schooling. The situation analysis is based on enrolment data provided by
the Ministry of Education in Iraq, a range of currently available reports and other documentation, and
on the responses of 80 Iraqi girls to a questionnaire relating to their own experiences of school and
their views on girls’ education. The picture is incomplete because no data on girls’ attendance or
success rates are available and these are crucial to a full situational analysis.
In Iraq the overall number of children receiving primary education has declined between 2004-05 and
2007-08 by 88,164, with no improvement in the percentage of girls enrolled. Gross enrolment figures
provided for the academic year 2005 – 2005 show 5,163,440 children enrolled in primary education.
Girls account for 44.74% of students. Figures for 2007-2008 show 5,065,276 children enrolled in
primary education, with 44.8 % being girls. This means that for every 100 boys enrolled in primary
schools in Iraq, there are just under 89 girls.
This under representation of girls in primary school in Iraq has been known for many years. The fact
that there are declining numbers of girls in each successive grade has also been identified analyses of
the data. Analysis of the 2007 -2008 data shows the same picture. In every governorate a smaller
percentage of girls than boys start school. There are no governorates where the number of children
completing primary education is acceptable, and it is even less acceptable for girls. The current data
replicate previously available data in showing a generally declining percentage of girls in each
successive primary school grade. Some 75% of girls who start school have dropped out during, or at
the end of, primary school and so do not go on to intermediate education. Many of them will have
dropped out after grade 1. When all governorates’ figures are combined, there are 21.66% fewer girls
in grade 2 than in grade 1. Similarly there is a 28.63% national drop in the number of girls between
grades 5 and 6. By the first intermediate class, only 25% the number of girls in grade 1 are in school;
by the third intermediate class the figure is 20%.
The percentage of girls in primary school classes in highest in Erbil, Dohuk and Sulaimaniya. These
three governorates also have the highest percentage of children in pre-school education. In Erbil
15.8% of children attend preschool provision, Dohuk 11.3% and Sulaimaniya 11.4% compared with,
for example 5.7% in Baghdad, 8.6% in Kirkuk, or 3.3% in Diyala.
There is also a major issue with the number of children in each grade who are over age. The
difference between gross and net enrolment data for 2007-08 shows that 659,896 children are above
the age for the grade that they are in. This represents 13% of all primary school children - more than
one in every ten. Of those children, 228,829 children were still attending primary school when they
were aged 13 – 15+.
The net enrolment rate for girls 45.8%, as against a gross enrolment rate of 44.8%. This shows a
significantly greater number of overage boys than girls. For example, only one third of teenagers still in
primary schools were girls.
5
In order to increase girls’ participation in education, it is vital to gain an insight into why they never
attend school or drop out before completing their basic education. A small scale survey of 80 Iraqi girls
was therefore included in this piece of work. While this is not a large or statistically valid sample, their
responses provide a clear insight into many of the reasons why girls do not go to school. As would be
expected, parents, particularly fathers, play a major role in whether the girls can attend school or not.
The girls refer to a range of reasons why families do not support girls attending school. These include
concerns about safety, family poverty, a reluctance to allow adolescent girls to continue to attend
school, the distance from home to school, early marriage and the need to help at home. The journey
to and from school presents problems caused by fast traffic, dogs or boys. Girls are frequently demotivated
by the behaviour of teachers who beat them, distress them and are unwilling to explain
subject matter that a student does not understand. Their answers make frequent references to being
beaten or insulted by teachers, and to teachers being unwilling to give explanations in lessons or
support students in their learning. The girls describe their schools are unwelcoming and unpleasant
with too few facilities and resources. Schools are described as dirty, poorly maintained and
uncomfortable, with dirty lavatories and no drinking water available. Safety is an issue, particularly in
areas of major instability and insecurity. The concerns about safety relate to both military conflict and
civil crime such as abduction and rape.