Basra, May 03: Children returned to the classroom in the southern Basra region today after more than six weeks of closure because of the war, said education department official Kaduni Mohsen al-Shaawi. "Even if there is still no government, all schools are open today in Basra and the rest of the Governorate, it was a priority," he said.
However Basra University remained closed.
Al-Shaawi said "95 per cent of schools were looted" after the fall of the regime of Saddam Hussein, but added that the shortage of furniture and supplies would not stop the students.
School books printed under the deposed government would still be used, but without references to the old regime, he added.
According to the official, it was the Hawza School of Shiite Religious Scholars at the holy city of Najaf which decided to get children back to school as quickly as possible and to re-organise the education system.
A meeting of the education department officials was called, the old leadership made up of Baath Party members removed and a new group appointed.
Reporters saw numerous children in uniform setting off for school in Basra this morning. Bureau Report