Spatial inequality in educational service distribution is a key dimension of spatial justice and balanced urban development, particularly in cities affected by conflict, population displacement, and infrastructural deficiencies. In Iraq, prolonged conflicts, infrastructure destruction, and demographic changes have made school counts insufficient for assessing actual educational service provision. This study aims to measure and explain educational spatial inequality in Baiji and Siniya, Salah al-Din Governorate, Iraq. The educational conditions of 11 urban zones were assessed using student population, number of schools, educational capacity, coverage of educational levels, and human resources. A composite Educational Spatial Inequality Index (ESII) was developed based on four dimensions: educational supply deficit, capacity pressure, insufficient coverage of educational levels, and human-resource pressure. After standardization and aggregation, ESII values were calculated to compare inequality across the study zones.



The results reveal that educational inequality is intra-urban, multidimensional, and heterogeneous, with considerable variation in educational pressure among zones. The findings demonstrate that school numbers alone cannot adequately represent equitable educational provision, as student population, actual capacity, educational-level coverage, and human-resource distribution jointly influence service shortages. Comparison between the two cities further highlights the role of demographic conditions, service capacity, and spatial organization in shaping inequality patterns. Overall, ESII provides a comprehensive assessment of relative educational pressure and identifies zones experiencing greater shortages beyond what conventional single-dimensional indicators can capture. The findings offer an analytical basis for identifying priority areas, allocating educational resources, expanding capacity, and improving human-resource distribution. They also support spatial planning for educational service reconstruction and development in Baiji, Siniya, and other conflict-affected cities experiencing similar post-conflict challenges.