Iraq sets September 20 start for 2026-2027 school year

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Ministry of Education announced that the 2026-2027 school year will begin on September 20, ending weeks of uncertainty over the start date. Ministry spokesman Karim al-Sayyid told the official gazette that the date is final and that the academic calendar will proceed as previously planned. Al-Sayyid said provincial education directorates in Baghdad and other cities have finalized arrangements for teaching staff to take up their duties. The ministry's field preparation plan covers the full readiness of school buildings, the accurate counting of student numbers and their placement into classes. Education warehouses have been prepared to distribute curricula and textbooks to students according to schedules set by individual school administrations. Supervisory and specialist teams are expected to visit schools before the official start date to assess logistical and administrative conditions and identify any remaining obstacles. The ministry said logistics and administrative work had been completed to allow millions of students across the country to begin classes on time.