Concerns are mounting within academic and parliamentary circles regarding the widening gap between higher education outputs and actual labor market needs, driven by the rapid and poorly planned expansion of private universities. In this context, Iraqi parliamentarians warned of an
impending unemployment crisis affecting medical fields, specifically pharmacy graduates, calling for an urgent review of admission policies and the enforcement of academic accreditation standards. Official sources indicate the presence of approximately 100 pharmacy colleges producing thousands of graduates annually, while
the Ministry of Health's absorption capacity has become exceedingly limited. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Planning confirmed it is developing a comprehensive national strategy aimed at aligning educational outputs with labor market demands and reducing reliance on the rentier economy, which
exacerbates unemployment and poverty crises.
