Written question asked by Jim Cunningham (Labour) on Friday, 3 October 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 7 October 2008. It was answered by Douglas Alexander (Labour) on Monday, 13 October 2008 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Iraq: Education

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps the Government has taken to improve the education system in Iraq.

Answer: Since 2003, the Department for International Development (DFID) has not provided any direct financial assistance to develop the education sector in Iraq. We have, however, contributed £70 million to the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI), which encompasses two trust funds administered by the United Nations and World Bank. 25 donors have committed over $1.8 billion to IRFFI since 2003. This money has been used to provide assistance in a range of sectors and development projects across Iraq. In the education sector, the UN has now allocated from IRFFI $190 million and the World Bank $106 million on 29 projects which include the rehabilitation of schools, the provision of essential text books, and the training of Iraqi teachers.

Secondary information