Iraq shuts down 158 unlicensed private education institutions

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Ministry of Education has shut down 158 private education institutions operating without proper licensing, the ministry said in a written statement on Tuesday. The closures followed surprise inspections of tutoring centers in Baghdad and other cities, carried out by a ministry commission established under Education Minister Abdul Karim Abtan in coordination with the National Security Advisory. The inspections, conducted between May and July, found that the institutions were operating without the required permits, prompting legal action against them, according to the ministry. The commission also reviewed the work of sub-committees operating within the directorates of education in Baghdad and other cities. The Ministry of Education said it would continue inspecting unlicensed private education institutions under existing regulations. No further details were immediately available.