Iraqi children begging to attend school

Iraqi children, desperate to learn, attend classes in overcrowded rooms in neighborhoods threatened by violence, Reuters reported Tuesday.

The Iraqi education system, once envied in the Middle East, has been severely damaged by the war. Many schools have been forced to shut down due to a lack of security brought on by unstable conditions. Thus, schools deemed ‘safe’ are overcrowded and underprepared for the new influx of students traveling far distances for an education.

According to the article, “Violence, a collapse of school infrastructure and the mass displacement of both pupils and teachers have turned many of Iraq's schools into fetid overcrowded ruins, jeopardizing the futures of millions of children.”

Even in classrooms that lack running water and reek of raw sewage seeping from leaky pipes, students are not deterred. Their primary focus is receiving an education and the threat of violence will not prevent them reaching for their goals.

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