The Educational Reality of Public Schools

Abstract

The educational institution has faced significant financial, technical, administrative, and cultural challenges. These challenges have always been a result of the country's economic, political, and cultural environment, and have intensified recently, weakening the role of the institution in fortifying students against the substantial cultural challenges they face. This prompted the researcher to identify the problems and challenges that led to these unfavorable outcomes in Iraq's education system. The researcher conducted a review and investigation of the educational reality through official educational decisions and documents, the state of school buildings, laboratories, supplies, and curricula, as well as the daily challenges faced by administrations and teaching staff in public schools.

The aim was to identify the strengths and reinforce them within the institution, while understanding and addressing the weaknesses by proposing suitable solutions. This necessitates the review, evaluation, and improvement of government policies, plans, and programs, and the requalification of the educational institution to overcome the challenges facing this sector.

The research focused on public schools in Basra Governorate, with a random sample of 90 public schools in the center of Basra City and its districts, out of which 80 samples were suitable for analysis. An additional random sample of 50 samples focused on the reality of educational counseling in public schools. The research concluded with several findings, including the urgent need to build new, spacious schools, the low number of teaching staff, and the need for many supplies, equipment, services, and scientific laboratories in schools. The scarcity of financial resources and capabilities was also highlighted. These findings call for the swift construction of high-quality public schools to eliminate multiple shifts and accommodate the increasing number of students. There is also a need to provide adequate financial resources, supplies, and equipment, and to employ more teaching staff to address the current shortage, ensuring all factors necessary for the advancement and development of the educational process are in place.