Iraq News Now

Baghdad 5 May 2020 – The Kurdistan Ministry of Education with support from UNICEF has launched a satellite TV channel to support the learning needs of children and youths while schools remain closed due to Covid-19 pandemic.

An estimated 1.5 million children from grade 1 to grade 12 will be reached at home with a Kurdish curriculum that is also applicable for refugee and displaced children in the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI).

“The closure of schools is having a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable children—those living in poverty and in camps are being left behind because they may not have access to online learning opportunities,” said Hamida Lasseko, UNICEF Representative in Iraq.

“We know from experience that the longer vulnerable children stay away from school, the less likely they are to return. We must all work together to provide different ways for students to continue learning from home and maintain a routine,” she added. The TV channel known as Kanalli Parwadaee will broadcast daily in Arabic, Kurdish (Sorani) and Syriac Languages for an initial period of three months. In addition to the educational content, the channel will also disseminate awareness raising messages about Covid-19, including social distancing and handwashing practices.

Note for Editors:

• Approximately 10 million children and young people across Iraq have been impacted by school closures:

• Children who are not in school are highly vulnerable to exploitation, are more likely to engage in child labor, child marriage and are more prone to be depressed about their future:

• UNICEF is supporting the Ministry of Education in preparing to reopen schools and its current efforts for home-schooling, through online platforms, TV and mobile networks:

• The Ministries of Education in KRI and Federal Iraq have digital learning platforms; the satellite TV channel in the KRI is geared towards learners with limited internet access.

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Media Contacts:
Laila Ali, laali@unicef.org, +964 751 184 4086
Zeina Awad, zawad@unicef.org, +964 7827820238