Protesting teachers submitted their demands of the government in Baghdad to the Iraqi parliament office in Sulaimani and declared they will hold a daily rally in front of the education directorate, Rudaw’s correspondent in the city, Jamal Ahmed Jamil, reported on Saturday.
The teachers said they will no longer wait for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Ministry of Education, but will seek talks with Baghdad.
Aram Sheikh Mohammed, deputy Iraqi parliament speaker, received the teachers in front of the parliament office and said “We will do our best to pass the demands of protesters to Iraqi authorities.”
“The salaries of Kurdistan Region employees should be given to them. If the oil crisis is not solved between the Kurdistan Region and the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Region does not commit to that deal, then the Iraqi government should deal with governorates independently,” he added.
Teachers took to the street in protest over reduced salaries and delayed payments at the start of the school year in September. Since then, they have held occasional rallies but classes have not been held.
Some students support the teachers, but they also believe they have right to ask teachers to break their boycott and resume classes.
“Teachers have the right to demand for their rights, as we also have the right to ask to open schools and we ask teachers to return and resume the education process,” a student told Rudaw.
“I am not happy because two months have passed. We are damaged a lot. We are so late, therefore I think it is better to not open schools,” a student from Sheerin High School in Sulaimani told Rudaw, bemoaning the potential loss of the full school year.
On Wednesday, Azad Hama Amin, head of the Sulaimani provincial council, held a press conference alongside education directorate officials. “On Saturday in Sulaimani, Garmiyan, Raparin and Halabja, the schools will be open,” he said.
Despite his call, teachers across the province resumed their protests and did not go back to school, insisting they will their continue strike until the authorities hear their demands.
Only some schools opened across the province with a small number of teachers returning to work, Rudaw correspondents reported.
A large number of teachers went into the streets on Saturday, venting their frustration under the slogans “enough is enough” and “oil for individuals but crisis for all.”
Earlier, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Ministry of Education warned that, “If after two months from the start of the school year, boycotts continue, then the school year won’t be counted.” The first day of school was October 1.
Teachers believe they are not responsible for the delay in the school year but that it is the authority’s responsibility as they could not provide full salaries for teachers on time.
In Erbil and Dohuk provinces, schools opened on October 1. In Sulaimani, all public schools remain closed though Arabic and private schools started classes on time.
