Iraqi Schools

 

Broadcast: May 15, 2003
By Jerilyn Watson

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.
The United States Agency¹ for International Development, U-S-A-I-D, has begun a project to rebuild education in Iraq. Some Iraqi schools have started again following the American-led war in that country.
The project is called RISE, for the Revitalization1 of Iraqi Schools and Stabilization² of Education. U-S-A-I-D chose a company called Creative Associates International of Washington, D.C., to lead the efforts. Other organizations will join the project.
The first duty of Creative Associates will be to provide schools with materials. The organization says improving Iraqi schools will mean improving teaching³ and expanding schools. A team will work with Iraqi teachers. These teachers then are to train others.
In five areas of Iraq, special projects will be launched⁴ for educating girls. Other projects will deal with the needs of older students and young people who are out of school. Iraqi organizations based in the United States will help provide basic services.
Creative Associates received a one-year, one-million-dollar order to begin work in Iraq. The company handles similar projects in other nations including Afghanistan. U-S-A-I-D says the goal of the United States government is to make sure Iraqi children are prepared for the new school year beginning in September.
Iraq has about six-thousand schools for its youngest children. American officials say many schools were in poor condition before the war. Others were damaged during the war, and during the looting that followed the ouster of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
In the Babel Secondary⁵ School for Girls in Baghdad, for example, most books, desks, pipes and lighting⁶ devices⁷ were stolen or wrecked⁸. All the school's new science equipment was broken.
School director Nuria Hatem says the teaching system and the books must be changed. She says the influence of Saddam Hussein and his Baath Party on school subjects must be removed.
Khalida al Qubaisi directs another school in Baghdad. Missus Qubaisi says teachers have been limited in subject material. She says even writing work often had to be about Saddam. Now, she says, students are free to write about many subjects.
This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Jerilyn Watson.

1. revitalization [rI:9vaItLlaI`zeIFLn] n. 新生，复兴

1 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

2 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

3 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

4 launched   

v.发射( launch的过去式和过去分词 )；[计算机]开始（应用程序）；发动；开展（活动、计划等）

参考例句：

• He launched a bitter diatribe against the younger generation. 他对年轻一代发起了猛烈的抨击。
• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide. 这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。

5 secondary   

adj.中级的，中等的，次要的；n.次要位置，副手

参考例句：

• It's a question of secondary importance.这是个次要的问题。
• Secondary school means junior school and high school.中学是指初中和高中。

6 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

7 devices   

n.设备；装置( device的名词复数 )；花招；（为实现某种目的的）计划；手段

参考例句：

• electrical labour-saving devices around the home 节省劳力的各种家用电器
• modern labour-saving devices such as washing machines and dishwashers 诸如洗衣机和洗碗机之类的现代化省力设备

8 wrecked   

adj.失事的，遇难的

参考例句：

• the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸
• the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞