The Commission on K–12 Education at the Kurdistan Accrediting Association for Education (KAAE) conducted a series of Needs-Readiness Assessment (NRA) field visits across the Sulaymaniyah and Halabja governorates in January 2026, as part of the K–12 Pilot School Project. The visits were led by Dr. Lara Nabil Abdallah, Director of the Commission on K–12 Education at KAAE, accompanied by operational and logistical support from Yad Hidayat, Executive Assistant.
The NRA visits represent an initial step in supporting selected pilot schools as they prepare to proceed with KAAE’s accreditation process. The purpose of these visits is to assess institutional readiness by examining foundational capacity, leadership structures, instructional practices, and overall commitment to quality and continuous improvement. As part of the pilot study, KAAE is working with a total of twelve schools, including both public and private institutions.
The Sulaymaniyah and Halabja visits combined on-site school engagement with targeted capacity-building activities for school leadership and Ministry of Education supervisors. The field visit activities included school tours, classroom and learning observations, reflective meetings with principals and leadership teams, document review, and dedicated training sessions focused on candidacy preparation and the accreditation framework.
Summary of Visits in the Sulaymaniyah and Halabja provinces
- On Saturday, January 10, 2026, KAAE conducted a full-day capacity-building training in Sulaymaniyah for Ministry of Education supervisors and representatives involved in the pilot school project. The training focused on the KAAE accreditation framework and foundational standards, with hands-on group discussions to strengthen implementation readiness.
- On Sunday, January 11, 2026, KAAE conducted an NRA visit to Kurdistan Educational Compound – Sulaymaniyah.
- On Monday, January 12, 2026, KAAE conducted an NRA visit to Martyr Azad Hawrami School in Halabja.
- On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, KAAE conducted an NRA visit to Nawzhin Mixed Basic School in the Garmian area of the Sulaymaniyah Governorate.
- On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, KAAE conducted an NRA visit to Baban Preparatory School in Qaladize.
- On Thursday, January 15, 2026, the final visit in this phase took place at The International School of Choueifat – Sulaymaniyah, a private institution participating in the pilot project.
Following the completion of the Sulaymaniyah and Halabja visits, KAAE will continue the Needs-Readiness Assessment field visits in Duhok and Erbil, applying the same structured and developmental approach to additional pilot schools. These field visits reflect KAAE’s commitment to a standards-based, improvement-oriented accreditation process that supports schools in building strong foundations before formally starting the accreditation journey.