US firm wins contract to purge Saddam from schools

By DAVID USBORNE

NEW YORK - The United States is taking the first steps towards rebuilding Iraq's creaking and highly politicised school system with a view to excising the image and doctrines of Saddam Hussein from classrooms.

Creative Associates International, a private company based in Washington DC, is preparing to place teams of education experts throughout the country after winning a contract from the US Government.

Its task is to prepare Iraqi schools for the new year starting in October. The contract is initially worth US$2 million ($3.6 million) but could grow. But the initiative is already proving controversial. Critics and Iraqi exiles have warned America against attempting to impose its own world view.

The US Agency for International Development (USAid) has made clear its intention to ease Saddam out of the education system. It is not saying how far this should be taken. But it says the pilot scheme should use "politically neutral course content", making it clear that Baath Party indoctrination will be erased.

Some of what needs to be done is obvious. There will be no place, for instance, for the Iraqi primary school maths question that asked what you got when you added three rocket-propelled grenades to four Kalashnikov assault rifles. The answer was: "Seven ways to kill the infidel enemy."

The Thursday tradition of singing hymns of praise to Saddam while raising the national flag is also certain to be stopped.

But USAid is fully aware of the maxim that victors get to recast history and the dangers this implies.

In drawing up the contract for Creative Associates, the agency pulled back from asking it to produce new textbooks. A separate contract for textbooks will be awarded after consultation with Iraqi groups.

Iraq reconstruction

* Creative Associates will buy supplies and equipment to get the schools functioning by October.

* It will eventually consider broad curriculum reforms with the Iraqi Education Ministry.

* It is subcontracting tasks to educational experts from American University in Washington DC.

* USAid will issue separate contracts for the rebuilding of schools.

* Enrolment in schools is thought to have dropped from about 75 per cent in 1989 to about 53 per cent, with rates for girls even lower.

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