Making up for lost time
Education ministry to decide on reducing school holidays for 12th grade
SULAYMANIYAH — The KRG Ministry of Education is poised to decide on Tuesday whether to reduce school holidays and adjust the exam schedule for 12th grade students amid disruptions from boycotts, the upcoming Kurdistan Parliamentary elections, and the Eid al-Adha holiday.
Officials plan to meet to consider proposals for shortening school holidays and modifying the daily exam timetable affected by recent events.
Under the current schedule set by the ministry, exams for 12th-grade students start on June 3, with a second session beginning on Aug. 3. The Ministry has proposed keeping the existing dates but allowing students impacted by boycotts to take their first session exams on Aug. 3, effectively postponing both their first and second session exams.
A decision to hold elections in early June by the Kurdistan Region Presidency would necessitate a reevaluation of the exam timetable.
An anonymous official from the Ministry of Education told 964media, “Though the final decision will come on Tuesday, there’s a significant chance of condensing the curriculum for 12th graders to accommodate everyone, including those affected by boycotts.”
Seywan Faraj, another Ministry official, said, “The decision will be made on Tuesday, with ministerial council members free to voice their opinions and decisions determined by majority vote.”
With six public holidays scheduled next month, 12th-grade students, particularly those impacted by boycotts, face additional challenges.
Sources indicate that four of these holidays may be canceled to make up for lost teaching time.
12th grade students to meet with education minister
