Iraq’s universities, colleges to take final exams online amid COVID-19: Ministry of Higher Education

A spokesperson for Iraq’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research said in a statement on Monday that final exams for universities and colleges would begin on June 14 via an online platform to mitigate the risks of the highly contagious COVID-19 virus.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A spokesperson for Iraq’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research said in a statement on Monday that final exams for universities and colleges would begin on June 14 via an online platform to mitigate the risks of the highly contagious COVID-19 virus.

In a bid to curb the rapid spread of COVID-19, in early March, the Iraqi government shuttered all educational institutions such as universities, colleges, and schools in addition to business venues as well as borders with countries that were hit hard by the virus.

In line with the coronavirus preventive measures and the ministry’s commitment to finish the 2019-2020 academic years, the date for final exams of universities and colleges is set to take place on June 14, 2020, according to the ministry’s statement.

The first round of exams for the second semester begins on June 14, 2020, until July 2, 2020, the ministry spokesperson said. The statement added that the second round of exams for the first and second semesters would be held on Sept. 2 to Sept. 17, 2020.

The COVID-19 preventive measures and previous anti-corruption protests in Iraqi provinces have delayed graduation for nearly 150,000 Iraqi students in Spring 2020, according to Haider Al-Abboud, spokesperson for Iraq’s ministry of higher education.

The finals exams will be held electronically via Edmodo, an educational platform on the internet that enables teachers and students to communicate, the ministry’s statement said.

“At the same time, the higher education institutions are authorized to choose appropriate platforms that best suit them,” It added.

As of Tuesday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, is 4,632 cases and 163 fatalities, and 2, 811 patients have recovered.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany