Al-haritha: The mayor of Al-Haritha district in Basra has raised an urgent alarm over the precarious condition of Al-Yarmouk Primary School. Since 2019, the school has been identified as a potential collapse hazard, posing significant risks to its students. Despite being included in project plans for the district, the school has not yet been allocated the necessary funds for its repair and maintenance.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Nadhir Al-Shawi, the mayor of Al-Haritha district, confirmed the school’s dire state and explained the school’s inclusion in district plans since 2019. However, it remains absent from official budgets, leaving the building’s structural issues unaddressed. School administrations have officially communicated their concerns to the mayor’s office, seeking to absolve themselves of liability for any incidents resulting from the building’s condition.

Al-Shawi further disclosed that the mayor’s office has escalated the matter to the Basra Governorate, the school principal, and the Basra Education Directorate, urging prompt intervention. The situation is exacerbated by the school’s three-shift operation, which increases the risk to students.

Maintenance work funded by the Basra Oil Company’s social welfare program has been conducted on some classrooms, but these efforts do not resolve the building’s underlying structural issues. The district administration has consistently included the school in budget and planning documents submitted to the Basra Education Directorate, but the reasons for its exclusion from financial allocation remain unclear.

Al-Shawi expressed regret over the school’s current condition and stressed the need for immediate action from higher authorities, such as the Basra governor, the Ministry of Education, or the Council of Ministers, to safeguard the students.

He also highlighted that Al-Yarmouk is not the only school in distress; several other schools in Al-Haritha, including prefabricated and deteriorating structures, require urgent attention. Residents of the Abu Halwa area have echoed these concerns, calling on local and regional leaders to prioritize the safety and education of their children.