 Wasel Tasel Organisation hosting the inauguration ceremony of Al-Makasib Primary School, posted on March 8, 2018. (Facebook) |  Wasel Tasel Organisation hosting the inauguration ceremony of Al-Makasib Primary School, posted on March 8, 2018. (Facebook) |
On July 15, 2017, the Iraqi government celebrated the liberation of Mosul and the eradication of Islamic State (IS). However, vital infrastructure in the city, such as schools, have suffered severe damage.
Some humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Iraq are working hard to provide aid and protection for civilians, especially, in the cities that have witnessed fierce battles between the IS militants and Iraqi government forces.
Wasel Tasel is one of these NGOs, that has done a great job in this respect. The organisation has worked on the reconstruction of al Makasib Primary School in the eastern side of the old city of Mosul. Staff members of Wasel Tasel worked extremely hard to complete the required reconstruction of the school so it was could be reopened as quickly as possible.
Once the work was completed, the organisation hosted an inauguration ceremony for the school and posted some pictures and videos for the ceremony on its Facebook page on March 8, 2018. Yet the following day the Iraqi Minister of Education, Mohammed Iqbal, picked some of these pictures from Wasel Tasel's Facebook page and re-posted them on his own Facebook page claiming that the Ministry of Education was responsible for reconstruction work on the school, in cooperation with the Wasel Tasel.
Some humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Iraq are working hard to provide aid and protection for civilians, especially, in the cities that have witnessed fierce battles between the IS militants and Iraqi government forces.
Wasel Tasel is one of these NGOs, that has done a great job in this respect. The organisation has worked on the reconstruction of al Makasib Primary School in the eastern side of the old city of Mosul. Staff members of Wasel Tasel worked extremely hard to complete the required reconstruction of the school so it was could be reopened as quickly as possible.
Once the work was completed, the organisation hosted an inauguration ceremony for the school and posted some pictures and videos for the ceremony on its Facebook page on March 8, 2018. Yet the following day the Iraqi Minister of Education, Mohammed Iqbal, picked some of these pictures from Wasel Tasel's Facebook page and re-posted them on his own Facebook page claiming that the Ministry of Education was responsible for reconstruction work on the school, in cooperation with the Wasel Tasel.
 Mohammed Iqbal's Facebook post taking credit for the reconstruction of al Makasib primary school. (Facebook). |  The original post about Wasel Tasel NGO's reconstruction of al Makasib primary school. (Facebook). |
In an interview with Mohammed Dylan, a member of the organisation, any coordination or cooperation with the Ministry of Education was completely denied. He accused the minister of education of trying to take undue credit for work the Wasel Tasel organisation had carried out to save face for Iqbal’s “failed ministry which did nothing to rebuild any destroyed schools in the liberated areas.”
Mohammed Dylan said that the reconstruction of al Makasib primary school in Mosul was not the first achievement of Wasel Tasel organisation as “the organisation had rebuilt other schools in the city of Ramadi before that”.
After being publicly exposed for unlawfully taking the NGO's pictures for the inauguration ceremony of the rebuilt school to credit its reconstruction to his ministry, Mr Iqbal ordered his staff not to allow the members of the NGO Wasel Tasel to approach or enter any school in Iraq, Mohammed Dylan added.
It is worth mentioning that the Iraqi Ministry of Defence posted on its website [Arabic link] on March 11, 2018, the inauguration ceremony of the reconstruction of al Makasib School. The ministry stated that the humanitarian Wasel Tasel organization was the only organisation that had conducted the reconstruction of the primary school in Mosul.
According to the Business Anti-corruption Organisation, the Iraqi government has failed to implement anti-corruption laws effectively and public officials engage in corruption with impunity. In its latest report, published in June 2017, the organisation says bribery and giving gifts to ‘get things done’ are widespread practices in Iraq, despite being illegal. Corruption in the public and private sectors carries very high risks for businesses investing in Iraq and companies can expect to contend with several forms of corruption, including a deeply entrenched patronage network. Investors may also face pressure to take on well-connected local partners to avoid bureaucratic hurdles, the Business Anti-corruption Organisation says.
Mohammed Dylan said that the reconstruction of al Makasib primary school in Mosul was not the first achievement of Wasel Tasel organisation as “the organisation had rebuilt other schools in the city of Ramadi before that”.
After being publicly exposed for unlawfully taking the NGO's pictures for the inauguration ceremony of the rebuilt school to credit its reconstruction to his ministry, Mr Iqbal ordered his staff not to allow the members of the NGO Wasel Tasel to approach or enter any school in Iraq, Mohammed Dylan added.
It is worth mentioning that the Iraqi Ministry of Defence posted on its website [Arabic link] on March 11, 2018, the inauguration ceremony of the reconstruction of al Makasib School. The ministry stated that the humanitarian Wasel Tasel organization was the only organisation that had conducted the reconstruction of the primary school in Mosul.
According to the Business Anti-corruption Organisation, the Iraqi government has failed to implement anti-corruption laws effectively and public officials engage in corruption with impunity. In its latest report, published in June 2017, the organisation says bribery and giving gifts to ‘get things done’ are widespread practices in Iraq, despite being illegal. Corruption in the public and private sectors carries very high risks for businesses investing in Iraq and companies can expect to contend with several forms of corruption, including a deeply entrenched patronage network. Investors may also face pressure to take on well-connected local partners to avoid bureaucratic hurdles, the Business Anti-corruption Organisation says.
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