Hit gets an A+: new institute to train teachers

I Marine Expeditionary Force
Courtesy Story

Date: 04.13.2008
Posted: 04.30.2008 10:20
News ID: 18936
Hit gets an A :  new institute to train teachers

Lance Cpl. Paul M. Torres
Regimental Combat Team - 5

HIT, Iraq -- The future of any society lies in the development of its children.

To encourage the further development of the education system within the Hit district, Marines with the Regimental Combat Team 5 Civil Affairs Group are funding a project to renovate the Hit Teachers Institute.

"Right now, there is a shortage of teachers," said Lt. Timothy J. Rajcevich, 25, from Waukegan, Ill., civil affairs team leader, Detachment 1, Civil Affairs Team 3, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5. "Most of the teachers have to go to Rawah (Iraq) to be trained and a lot of the time they will not come back to Hit to teach."

The four-story building that will be the home for the institute had previously been used as a military outpost by coalition forces within the city of Hit.

"When the building was demilitarized, we set up a project to fix it up so that it could be used as a place to educate teachers," said Cpl. Brendan A. Ryan, 26, from Hammond, Ind., who is the security chief with the Detachment 1, CAT 3. "There was a lot of damage, and they have pretty much had to strip everything out from the roof down."

A local contractor was hired to renovate the building, and CAT 3 has overseen the work.

"The building's structure was fine. Much of the renovation consisted of repairing the windows, rewiring the electricity, restoring the plumbing and the erection of a wall around the building," said Rajcevich. "When it is finished, the building will be able to train 300 teachers at any given time."

The building is expected to be finished in June, and the construction has been progressing along quickly.

"We hired a contractor who knows what he is doing and takes pride in his work," said Rajcevich.

The institute will train teachers for grade school levels of education. Upon completion of the school, the teachers will be spread throughout the Hit district to meet the demand.

"There are plenty of schools and children who are in need of an (teacher)," said Rajcevich. "The refurbishment of the Hit Teachers Institute will secure the development of the Iraqi students."