This video was filmed on October 31, 2021.
DUHOK, Kurdistan Region - Non-contracted teachers from schools across Dohuk’s refugee camps took to the streets on Sunday to protest against unpaid salaries and a lack of employment contracts, calling on the authorities to treat them the same as other teachers.
Over 400 teachers, some based in the camps themselves, have boycotted classes for the past week, culminating in protests in front of the Education and Duhok governorate buildings this weekend.
Originally from northeast Syria (Rojava), Hussein Temo has taught at the Domiz 1 Camp school in the Duhok region for five years without an official contract.
According to figures from the education directorates of the Duhok district, there are 22 schools in Duhok’s refugee camps with around 13,500 refugee students.
“Last year, we were only paid for five months. The education directorate has devoted one and a half months this year to volunteer work. No one pays us our salaries,” Hussein Temo told Rudaw on Sunday.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) used to pay non-contract teachers at the camps until last year, but the aid has now been cut off.
Another non-contract teacher, Khalat Mihedin, told Rudaw that she was frustrated that her role as a teacher was seen as “volunteer work.” She lives in Duhok, and travels to the camp to teach.
“Our work so far has been non-contractual, but now they are turning it into volunteer work. We will not take part in this sort of work. Volunteer work has been imposed on us, we haven't initiated it.”
Chinar Fazel, a non-contracted teacher who also attended the protest, told Rudaw that it was a basic right for the teachers to be given employment contracts and paid fairly. “We’re demanding our very basic rights. Teachers from the camp are the same as those in Duhok.”
After waiting outside the buildings for several hours, the security forces prevented the protesters from reaching the education authorities.
To find a solution for teachers, the Duhok education directorate has proposed a new project to the ministry of education.
Hassan Chalabi, director of Semel district education directorate, told Rudaw that the proposal contains several points aimed at addressing the issue, including the removal of the section allocating an allowance to non-contract teachers and changing it to normal contract teachers in Semel's education directorate.
Unemployment protests were held last month by striking non-contracted teachers in Sulaimani and Erbil, and education officials are concerned the strike will affect the academic year.
Translation and video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed
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