Courtesy Photo | City of Rashaad leaders cut the symbolic yellow ribbon during the Al Mamoon High...... read more read more
By Spc. Karla P. Elliott
11th Public Affairs Detachment
FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq – Imagine a typical child's school classroom in the United States. You will usually find desks, chairs and big, white dry-erase boards. In schools with better funding, you'll have televisions, computers and screen projectors. But what about the basics? Of course, it's easy to overlook the four walls, windows and doors of a classroom, at least in the United States.
While many U.S. schools are determined to get the latest and greatest technology in the classroom, in Iraq, teachers are simply striving to get windows, doors and electricity put in theirs.
After doing just that, the city of Rashaad in Kirkuk province held a school reopening ceremony for the newly renovated Al Mamoon School, Dec. 31, 2008.
"The renovation helps students because now, with the windows and doors, they don't have to suffer from cold or heat," said the school headmaster, Abad Khalaf Ibrahim.
Al Mamoon, a high school of more than 125 students from ages 13 to 21-years-old, was built in 1988.
The school renovation was an Iraqi Commanders Emergency Relief Program project. Repairs included repainting the school inside and out, and fixing every door. All the windows, once shattered when a nearby improvised explosive device detonated, were replaced.
"They finished about two weeks ago and today we got to finally celebrate the hard work that the Iraqi people and coalition forces have done to get everything completed," said Capt. Anthony L. Forshier, commander, Company B, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, attached to the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
The Al Mamoon School renovation is one of 13 ICERP projects ongoing in the area, all made possible because of the improvement of security, and the direction of the Kirkuk Provincial Council. The council selects the projects and provides the funds for repairs, renovations or construction. Coalition forces oversaw the day-to-day execution of this school renovation.
"We've noticed that there are about 75 percent more projects around the city this year than last, and this was one of those projects," said Ibrahim.
The school lies in the center of the city, and this renovation, like a ripple effect, will be the beginning of all the improvements that are slated to happen in the near future.
"Security has improved a tremendous amount and the Al Mamoon School opening symbolizes the start of the coming together," said Capt. Marlen Ramirez, Civil Affairs team leader with Co. B, 490th Civil Affairs Bn.
"Education is just as big here as in America, but because of the economy, they're more at a disadvantage," Forshier said. "Every little step you take toward education is important."
| Date Taken: | 12.31.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 01.11.2009 12:39 |
| Story ID: | 28721 |
| Location: | KIRKUK, IQ |
| Web Views: | 296 |
| Downloads: | 236 |
This work, City of Rashaad renovates, reopens Al Mamoon School, by SPC Karla Elliott, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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