Coalition forces bring hope with literacy program

Photo By Staff Sgt. Margaret Nelson | A teacher hands-out school supplies during opening day of a pilot literacy program in...... read more read more

Photo By Staff Sgt. Margaret Nelson | A teacher hands-out school supplies during opening day of a pilot literacy program in the city of Hawijah, June 15, to Sons of Iraq members. Five hundred SOIs will be taught in schools located in the four sub-districts of Hawijah to include its city, how to read and write, so that they can apply for positions within the Iraq security forces. ISFs require a candidate to be able to fill out the application for consideration  see less | View Image Page

IRAQ

06.27.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. Margaret Nelson 

1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division

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By Staff Sgt. Margaret C. Nelson
1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division

HAWIJAH, Iraq – In an area considered lost, by military officials only a year ago, coalition forces Soldiers recently developed a literacy program and opened its doors to 500 Sons of Iraq members in four of the sub-districts of Hawijah, Iraq: Zaab, Abassi, Riyadh and Hawijah city, June 15.

According to its Ministry of Education, 5.6 million local nationals are illiterate in Iraq. Thirty percent of the population in Hawijah falls into that category. Iraqi males ages 18 to 30 are being taught how to read and write by local Iraqi teachers.

The pilot program was envisioned by Gen. David Petraeus, the commanding general of the Multi-National Force - Iraq, and carried out by Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, is designed to prepare the students for the application process. This process is necessary to be considered as candidates for the Iraqi police and army.

"This program is geared to assist in the transition process for SOI into the Iraq security forces," said 1st Lt. Steven Johnson, 1-87 Inf. Regt., civil affairs team chief. "It will be the model for the future national literacy campaign."

"I can't apply for a job with the Iraqi army because I can't read the job-application or write my name," Ali Hussein Ali, 20, said. "Everything gets easier when you can read," he said. Ali plans on applying to the IA once he graduates the course.

The course runs approximately four months and will teach the students at a 3rd to 4th grade reading level.

"It's the basics," Johnson said. "This is paid training for the SOIs in attendance." According to Johnson, they'll be paid, in addition to their SOI salary, $5 dollars for every day they attend class.

There are around 7,500 SOIs in the Hawijah district alone. This program establishes the groundwork for 500 of them to transition into the ISF. It also sets a standard for any future programs to follow, according to Johnson.

One school per district has been set up to accommodate around 125 students, divided into five classes. The teacher-to-student ratio in each classroom is 1 to 25. The classes will be held 5-days a week, 4-hours a day.

"I couldn't go to school in the past because it was too dangerous. I want to have an education. I want to be able to read and write. There was no hope until now," said Ahmad Magebi Abdullah, a 20-year-old Sunni-Arab attending the class.

In the city of Hawijah, the first day of class began with more than 60 SOI students, hand-picked by their leadership, attending orientation, signing in, meeting their teachers, receiving books and school supplies.

The success of the program is based on the participation of those enrolled in the program and their leadership who is responsible for ensuring the attendance said Lt. Col. Christopher Vanek, the commander of the 1-87 Inf. Regt.

"It's up to the Iraqi participants' desire to improve their personal lives. The ministry of education, Hawijah's directorate general of education and the SOI leadership have worked exceptionally hard to provide this opportunity to the citizens of the Hawijah District." Vanek said.

It will cost the coalition forces around $450 per student for the initial instruction with the government of Iraq with Iraq's ministry of education footing the bill for future programs, according to Johnson.

"Its money well spent," said the commander of the 1-87 Inf. Regt. "The true Al Qaida in Iraq uses this lack of education to generate willingness to participate in their activities." Vanek noted that based on first-hand knowledge and prior analysis of past detainees, "the majority of their membership is illiterate and un-educated."

"This is a great opportunity that our government is giving us. We are thankful to them and the Coalition Forces for creating this program. Being able to read and write will open doors that have remained closed to many of our people," said Mohammed Abdullatif Subuh, the head supervisor for the city of Hawijah's literacy program.

Subuh, a teacher here for over 30 years, has lost nine schools to AQI.

"They destroy anything that will better our people. Americans have only supported our efforts to rebuild," he said.