Iraqi State Education Increasingly Religious

After 2003, the religious influence dominated the state’s agenda. In a pluralistic society such as Iraq's, where there are various religious and ethnic minorities, religious education is a sensitive issue. Every sect has its own interpretation of historical events. History teacher Hatem Alwan cites the example of the death of Hussein ibn Ali.

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Alwan said Hussein’s “biography is taught in public schools in Shiite areas differently than in schools in Sunni areas. The same applies to events related to the rule of the 'rightly-guided caliphs.'”

Researcher and writer Rashid al-Khayoun, who holds a PhD in Islamic philosophy, told Al-Monitor, “The Iraqi state has had a civic, non-religious educational system since the 1920s. In fact, the director of education at the time, Sati al-Husri, tried to end religious education, but his project collided with religious Sunni and Shiite scholars. … During when Saddam joined the religious trend and launched a faith campaign in Iraq, contradicting the ideology of his Baath Party and calling for committing to Islamic teachings and the Quran — by virtue of which night clubs were closed — the latter introduced religion to the curriculum in a forceful way. Some Quranic verses became akin to math equations in terms of heritage. And men and women became separate.” He added, “Religious education has expanded in Iraq at the present time through the opening of Sunni and Shiite religious seminaries, as well as schools for Sunni and Shiite endowments.”

According to Khayoun, it is difficult today to “describe state education as secular or religious, especially since there are religious teachers, religious parties and religious curricula. The religious character has replaced the nationalist and Baathist character of the past.”

History teacher Hassan Sultan told Al-Monitor, “Studying history is very sensitive to Iraqi sects. Each seeks to interpret it according to its own beliefs. … The current sectarian debate is raising cultural barriers, which causes conflicts and disputes.”