Educational Inspection in Iraq 1935-1958 A Historical Study

Abstract

This Research Examines The Development Of Educational Inspection In Iraq Between 1933 And 1935, Tracing The Organizational Measures Taken By The Ministry Of Education To Address The Shortcomings In The Central Inspection Administration. It Focuses On The Implementation Of The Recommendations Of The Monroe Commission, Which Called For A Decentralized System And Expanded Powers For Education Directors In The Districts. It Also Highlights The Issuance Of Education Law No. 99 Of 1933 And Its Subsequent Amendment To Law No. 35 Of 1935, Which Redivided Iraq Into Five Educational Regions Instead Of Eleven Districts. The Research Also Reviews The Formation Of The New Inspection Body, Which Included A General Inspector And Specialist Inspectors, As Well As The Organization Of Their Duties And Their Monitoring Of Educational Institutions, Including Schools And Kuttabs. The Research Reveals The Difficulties These Reforms Faced, Such As The Small Number Of Inspectors, The Lack Of Specialization, And The Limited Resources, In Addition To The Political Challenges Accompanying World War II, Which Affected The Stability Of The Educational System And Its Workflow.

This system faced severe challenges during World War II, including a 40% budget reduction and staff shortages due to conscription. However, after 1945, it witnessed a legislative renaissance, the establishment of specialized inspection departments (1950), the development of oversight tools such as the "Unified Inspection Register," and the adoption of modern evaluation methodologies. Thus, inspection transformed from a traditional oversight body into an effective reform institution that contributed to enriching educational policies and leading pioneering experiments such as participatory inspection in Mosul (1957), thereby forming the nucleus of a modern educational project that moved beyond mere oversight to active participation in educational development.