THE IMPACT OF SUSTAINABLE EDUCATION ON ECONOMIC RESILIENCE IN IRAQ: HUMAN CAPITAL AS A MODERATING VARIABLE

Education is an important aspect in economic resilience. Iraqʼs educational and economic indicators reveal a compelling need to improve educational achievements in order to increase economic resilience. While previous studies have explored the relationships among education, human capital, and economic resilience in Iraq individually, this paper aims to empirically investigate the influence of sustainable education on economic resilience, considering the moderating role of human capital in Iraq from 1990 to 2022. Using the ARDL technique, the findings demonstrate that sustainable education has a positive and significant impact on economic resilience, with an increase in education by one year associated with an approximate 0.04% increase in economic resilience in the long run. Moreover, the impact of education on economic resilience in Iraq intensifies with higher levels of human capital. Specifically, the marginal effect of education on economic resilience ranges from 0.27 at the minimum level of human capital to 0.33 at the maximum level. Therefore, policymakers in Iraq should focus on improving education quality, promoting lifelong learning, and leveraging technology to enhance educational outcomes and human capital. To further develop human capital, policymakers should create and implement comprehensive programs encompassing education, health, and vocational training.