HALABJA, Halabja province – A Kurdistan region-funded school for internally displaced people, or IDPs, in Halabja has completed its year’s coursework, giving final grades to nearly 600 Arab-speaking students.
At a year-end ceremony, attended by teachers who are also IDPs this week, the students of Halabja Martyrs Primary School were warmly sent into the summer season in their new temporary home in the northeastern Kurdish city.
“We are thankful to Kurdistan, both its welcoming people and its government,” said Faiza Dawud, the school’s principal.
“The school building at our disposal this year was brand new and we were the first people to use it.”
The Directorate of Halabja Education provided the school facility and some study materials while Halabja University contributed some much-needed furniture.
The Halabja Office of the Independent Commission for Human Rights helped the majority of the students with aid in order to attend the school.
In total, there were 300 ethnically Arab students at Halabja Martyrs Primary School, and 282 at Kurdistan Secondary School, both in the same building.
More than 720 displaced Arab families now reside in Halabja. The majority come from the Sunni-populated provinces of Anbar, Salahaddin, Mosul and Diyala provinces, and some even from as far as Baghdad.
Nzar Muhsin, education coordinator at the Arabic school, worked with the Kurdistan Regional Government helped to organize the school’s requirements.
Muhsin said there are 73 other Arabic schools in Halabja and Sulaimani provinces.
Many Arab IDPs believe returning to their homes is still too risky. Taking this into account, teachers and staff are already organizing the next school year set to begin in October. The past year was delayed until November.
“The situation is excellent. Today is the last day, and we have given our students their results. The results, despite the extraordinary condition, are fine, knowing that some students also work to support their families,” said Dawud.
At a year-end ceremony, attended by teachers who are also IDPs this week, the students of Halabja Martyrs Primary School were warmly sent into the summer season in their new temporary home in the northeastern Kurdish city.
“We are thankful to Kurdistan, both its welcoming people and its government,” said Faiza Dawud, the school’s principal.
“The school building at our disposal this year was brand new and we were the first people to use it.”
The Directorate of Halabja Education provided the school facility and some study materials while Halabja University contributed some much-needed furniture.
The Halabja Office of the Independent Commission for Human Rights helped the majority of the students with aid in order to attend the school.
In total, there were 300 ethnically Arab students at Halabja Martyrs Primary School, and 282 at Kurdistan Secondary School, both in the same building.
More than 720 displaced Arab families now reside in Halabja. The majority come from the Sunni-populated provinces of Anbar, Salahaddin, Mosul and Diyala provinces, and some even from as far as Baghdad.
Nzar Muhsin, education coordinator at the Arabic school, worked with the Kurdistan Regional Government helped to organize the school’s requirements.
Muhsin said there are 73 other Arabic schools in Halabja and Sulaimani provinces.
Many Arab IDPs believe returning to their homes is still too risky. Taking this into account, teachers and staff are already organizing the next school year set to begin in October. The past year was delayed until November.
“The situation is excellent. Today is the last day, and we have given our students their results. The results, despite the extraordinary condition, are fine, knowing that some students also work to support their families,” said Dawud.
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