Iraq acts to protect schools, exam papers after fire incidents

Shafaq News/ On Monday, the Iraqi Ministry of Education has issued a directive to bolster school safety following a series of fire incidents during midterm exams.

Schools have been ordered to install surveillance cameras in exam storage rooms within 72 hours, according to an official document obtained by Shafaq News.

The directive also mandates schools to implement monitoring schedules with security guards to safeguard exam papers, school equipment, and records.

On January 22, a fire broke out at Kanz Al-Ma'arifa School in Al-Samawah. Investigations revealed the fire was deliberately started by a student, but no casualties or significant material damage occurred, and exam papers remained intact.

Four days earlier, on January 18, a fire erupted in the administration office of Imam Hussein School in Basra’s Al-Maqal area. The blaze was confined to the office, sparing exam papers.

Notably, these fires are part of a broader issue affecting Iraqi schools. In January 2024, a fire at Rasti Secondary School in Kirkuk was quickly extinguished by Civil Defense teams, averting significant damage.

Similarly, a fire in Nasiriyah, Dhi Qar governorate, erupted just hours before exams, raising suspicions about its timing.

The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) previously documented at least four attacks on schools in Iraq in 2022, including rocket strikes on a school in Baghdad’s Green Zone.