FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq— For the last seven years the same computers at the Kirkuk College of Science have endured countless classes of students pounding away at their keys, altering their software and smudging their screens. This is more than a lifetime for a computer, and their age has begun to show.
But teachers this year won't have to worry about trying to install new software on the outdated systems, or think about whether their compact disk drives will last through the semester, because they just received 50 new computers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Aug. 26.
"Our department really depends on computers," said Akmed Chalak, a computer networking teacher at the school. "We have been using very old computers, because we didn't have any choice."
"But with these new computers, the students will able to work with modern equipment," he continued.
The school has been working with a limited budget, and because of the high cost of new computers, they haven't been able to purchase but a few new computers each year.
"Each year we bought a couple [computers] from the local market," said the vice-president of the college, Dr. Najdat K. Moosa. "But, with these new computers, we will be able to replace nearly all of the old ones in our lab."
About two months ago, representatives from 2nd BCT visited the college and school administrators there brought them to the computer labs and explained how difficult it was to conduct classes and provide labs with the outdated systems.
"One of the issues was that the old computers couldn't install new software," said Capt. Aziz Noorali, a Pensacola, Fla., native and a representative from Forward Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq's, Human Terrain Team.
By using funds from 2nd BCT's Commander's Emergency Relief Program, the brigade was able to purchase the computers for the school.
"We wanted to make sure to get them there before classes started," said Noorali.
"The students are going to be very excited when they come into class and see these new computers," said Najdat.
As the computers were being brought into the new computer lab, Akmed and his fellow computer teachers took the time to set one up and test it out.
"Yep, these are best computers you can get," said Akmed with a smile as he watched the system turn on.
With a new school year about to begin, the importance of these computers was obvious to Noorali.
These students and others like them are the future leaders of this country, they are getting their education and they are going to go out, find jobs and make a difference, said Noorali.
"Helping students out...I love it," he said.
In addition to bringing the new computers, a representative from the brigade, Lt. Cmdr. Paul Krumholz, the civil affairs economics officer for the brigade, also delivered a memorandum of agreement from the University of Arizona, showing that the university was interested in forming a partnership with the Kirkuk College of Science.
This partnership will allow both schools to share ideas, their current curricula, and recent publications, said Krumholz. And, in the future, it might even allow for the exchange of faculty and students.
According to Krumholz, the new computers will allow the students at the Kirkuk College of Science better access to the Internet, allowing for the two schools to share ideas more easily.
Schools in the area are scheduled to open from summer vacation between the beginning of September and the beginning of October.
| Date Taken: |
08.26.2009 |
| Date Posted: |
08.31.2009 11:04 |
| Story ID: |
38172 |
| Location: |
KIRKUK, IQ |
| Web Views: |
127 |
| Downloads: |
90 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, U.S. Army donates computers to Kirkuk College of Science, by 1SG Justin A. Naylor, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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