Photo By Capt. Jeffrey Johnson | Artist sketch of the future Rota village school. The school contract was signed...... read more read more
BASRA – Marshland children will soon benefit from its first school that will be built in a traditional style partially out of reeds by an Iraqi company following the signing of a contract at the Basra Contingency Operating Base, March 8.
The new school will serve from 150 to 300 students between the ages of 6 and 12 and will be built at Rota village, which is in a remote marshland area northeast of Al Qurna.
"What is unique about this project is that the school will have all the facilities for a modern day education, but it addresses the traditional heritage of the marsh Arabs within that area," said Peter Hunt, a project officer from Mott McDonald. "The school will be built in part from reeds that come from the marshes, harvested by the marsh Arabs and will be woven into this school."
The school has the support of the Basra Director General of Education, who will be providing four teachers for the school. Basic math, reading and writing will be taught at the school.
"The project is the result of a coordinated effort between coalition forces and the Iraqi army assessing needs with local sheikhs who asked for a school, "said U.S. Navy Capt. Robert Lansden, Chief of Civil Military Operations, Multi-National Division - Southeast.
The schools basic design is patterned after the mudhif, a large communal house made of reeds, paid for and maintained by a local sheikh, for use by guests or as a gathering place. The school will have a main hall, four classrooms, washing area with 10 common toilets, two sinks, a single male and a single female toilet and a couple of general purpose rooms. There is also land reserved nearby for a children's playing area.
The contracted $392,965 building is funded by the Iraqi Commander's Emergency Response Program.
Al Majerah Group Company is a private sector general contracting and trade company with experience in many provinces in Iraq working with the Iraqi government, non-governmental organizations and Multi-National Force - Iraq.
The school building is scheduled to be completed at the end of May and should be ready to provide services shortly afterward.
"I hope it will be one of many buildings that will reflect the noble culture of the marsh Arabs," said Hunt.
| Date Taken: | 03.10.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 03.11.2009 11:16 |
| Story ID: | 30998 |
| Location: | BASRA, IQ |
| Web Views: | 639 |
| Downloads: | 461 |
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