SCHOOLS in Iraq have re-opened and are preparing children for the end of year exams.

And Evening Advertiser readers are helping to make this happen by donating nearly £1,000 so far to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Kathryn Irwin, spokeswoman for UNICEF, said: "I have just returned from Basra and was encouraged to see children back at school after all the turmoil of recent months.

"Our massive schools rehabilitation programme is all down to your support. We want to say a big thank- you. Your £961 goes a long way."

The school year has been extended by a month to make up for the two months that children were unable to attend classes because of the war.

UNICEF is also playing a major role in the exam process to ensure that pupils do not lose an entire year of work because of the fighting. The charity is currently printing 15 million exam booklets and providing 20,000 pens so that Iraq's equivalent of A Levels and GCSEs can go ahead. The equipment is needed because many schools and Ministry of Education buildings were looted.

"We've delivered 250 'school in a box' kits with supplies and are delivering more over coming months," Miss Irwin said.

As many parents are unaware that the exams are going ahead, UNICEF has prepared three TV and radio jingles publicise them.

The charity is also trying to organise engineers to assess 1,000 schools which are in desperate need of repair and to cope with the increasing temperatures 300 fans have been distributed to 30 schools.

Computers and photocopiers are being supplied to the Ministry of Education to deal with administration.

The school rehabilitation programme runs until next year and aims to make sure that schools are fit for teaching and learning.

But 15 schools in urgent need of repair will be assisted over the next fortnight.