Volume 1 Cedric - revised luca Final - RUIG-GIAN

for university education concerning age groups between 18 and 23 from 7.9 per cent in1987/1988 to 10.2 per cent in 2001/2002, the percentage remains very modest.Average enrolment rates concealed substantial regional, rural/urban and genderdisparities. Regional Primary Education shows NERs ranged from 98 per cent in Baghdadand Diala to around 63 per cent in Muthanna between 1998 and 1999. These NERs largelyreflected rural/urban disparities, with 98 per cent in urban areas and around 61 per cent inrural areas. The female share of Primary Education enrolment remained fairly constant ataround 44 per cent throughout the period 1990/2000. The 2000 MICS survey, however,identified significant gender gaps in Primary Education attendance, especially in ruralareas, where up to 51 per cent of girls (compared with 28 per cent of boys) were reportedto be out of school. In Secondary Education, gender gaps became more marked, asindicated in the table below.Table 2: Educational gender gaps in secondary educationGross enrolment, Gross enrolment,NER,1990/19911999/20001999/2000Male 57.1 47.1 39.6Female 36.4 29.1 26Total 47 38.3The Ministry of Education (MoE) and UNICEF estimated that at least 80 per cent ofthe MoE’s 13,200 establishments (including schools) needed some form of rehabilitationand repair. Overall (primary and secondary) student-classroom ratio is of 49:1. In addition,the MoE reported that more than 700 schools and institute buildings were currently beyondrepair and needed to be demolished and rebuilt. The enrolment simulation and projectionmodel used for this assessment suggested that a minimum of 4,500 new schools, inaddition to the 700 institutes to be rebuilt, were required in order to cope with enrolmentgrowth and to eliminate double and triple shifts.2.3.3. HealthThe previous regime’s disregard for social issues, the consecutive wars and UNeconomic sanctions caused a disastrous deterioration of the health system and standardsreflected in the following health indicators: 61• the number of hospitals and other health centres declined between 1987 and 2002 from234 to 212 hospitals and from 1,604 to 1,078 health centres;• the average population per doctor ratio remains considerably elevated (2,319 in 2002compared to 1,925 in 1987);• there were 1,013 people per available hospital bed in 2003, compared with 515 in1987;• the infant mortality rate was at 108 per 1,000 live births and the average death rate forchildren under 5 years age was 130.6 per 1000 live births during the period from 1994to 1999, compared to 25-30 and 50 child deaths respectively from 1984 to 1989.Maternal death rates also increased, from 117 cases per 100,000 live births to 294 from1991 to 1999;• the Iraqi life expectancy rate has fallen from 62.5 in 1987 to 58.5 years of age in 1997.61 UN-WB Joint Assessment of Reconstructing and Rebuilding in Iraq, Oct.,200354