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| As the invasion, Bush, Saddam and the sectarian violence is a taboo subject in textbooks and class discussions throughout the Iraqi school. |
"I feel there is a gap in history, especially about the events that had just happened," according to a 14-year student in Baghdad.
"We were treated like no idea what was happening, but we know."
Arab history since the U.S. invasion in 2003, the country had no textbooks listed in the book.
The U.S. Army, along with President Obama and violent crimes that occurred in the country since the invasion can not be found in books and discussions in the classroom.
Former President Saddam Hussein, who expelled the U.S. and eventually executed by the Iraqi government, and its heyday when the ruling Baath Party is a taboo subject.
Local authorities acknowledged that banning certain chapters in the recent history of Iraq is intentional.
"Even in a religion class, teachers are prohibited distinguish Sunni and Shi'a, instead they just dipebolehkan discuss more general topics," Ahmed Ibrahim, a senior official from the Ministry of Education.
He commented that history had just happened too sensitive to be discussed in the classroom.
"We're talking about a classroom containing Kurdish, Sunni, Shi'a, Christian and other minorities," according to Ibrahim.
"Talking about problems that occur at this time will only make some students feel differently.
"If you talk about resistance, you will offend Sunnis, and if you raise the issue of militias fighting in the South, you may offend Shi'a, and when you talk about minorities in northern Iraq, the Kurds may not want to hear the facts."
Some believe that restricting student access to recent history is an effort to protect them from trauma.
"Why should we always talk about topics that will only make the past the students with the suffering, pain, and loss?", Hanaa Ahmed al-Kudari, a primary school teacher in the Mansour district of Baghdad, said.
"Why constantly reminding them how their parents and siblings their brother killed?"
Ibrahim, Staff Education Ministry, agrees.
"It will only make them feel more deeply traumatized."
However, many are concerned about how the act of concealment of this history will be based on personal interpretation and brainwashing the students in the end.
"Without the inclusion of this information in the book, students will be spared from the violence that can be found anywhere in Baghdad," said Sinan al-Nidawat, a history teacher at a secondary school in Baghdad.
"But in my opinion, despite the fact that happened in history can also make vulnerable students from the brainwashing of the criminals or relatives of those who believe that the sectarian violence is one of the best ways to get power."
Nidawat believe that school is the best place to learn the history of the student and be able to distinguish the good and the bad.
"At least they should be able to understand what has happened or is happening to their country"
"If you do not know what is happening in your country, how can you build a better country?"
Source: Reuters
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