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In&nbsp;Washington Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki said on Saturday his country planned to send up to 10,000 Iraqi students per year to colleges in the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia over the next five years as part of a new scholarship programme.
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He said Iraq`s education system had suffered after years of war and dictatorship.
&ldquo;Today with the stability and the security back in Iraq, we are moving forward,&rdquo; Mr Maliki said through a translator.
The premier announced the plans at the Academy for Educational Development in Washington. The non-profit organisation will help advise in country as it places students.
Zuhair Humadi, an adviser to Mr Maliki who is overseeing the programme, said the education initiative was a turning point for Iraq.
&ldquo;Education is the key to development and progress,&rdquo; Mr Humadi said.
The Iraqi government is funding the scholarship programme, which covers tuition, fees and room and board. The awards will allow students to earn bachelor`s, master`s and doctorate degrees. They can pick their area of study, but are encouraged to go into engineering, education and business, among other fields. The students are then expected to return to Iraq after graduating.
Twenty-two American universities are participating in the initiative, including Vanderbilt University, Texas A&amp;M University and Ohio`s state university system.
Iraqi leaders hope to start about 500 students in US and British schools by mid-fall, Mr Humadi said. Canada and Australia will take students next year.
Along with the scholarship programme, the country also plans to reform its elementary, secondary and higher education system with new curriculum and teaching methods. The changes are expected to begin next year.
Mr Humadi said Iraqis from all backgrounds supported education. &ldquo;Even the poor people will sacrifice to send their children to school and keep after them,&rdquo; he said.
About $54 million has been set aside to cover the first year of the programme, Mr Humadi said. He estimated the cost for each student to be about $50,000 annually.
He said the Iraqi parliament backed the programme. &ldquo;And that comes from all political parties &ndash; from A-Z,&rdquo; he added.
Mr Maliki stated that Iraqi leaders were changing the political system to be one of &ldquo;freedom, human rights, equality for all. And this is the recipe for the progress of science and education.&quot;