Protesting teachers reject government punitive measures

SULAYMANIYAH —  The Committee of Dissatisfied Teachers has issued a deadline of April 25, 2024, for education departments in Kurdistan to revoke penalties against teachers who were absent during protests, stressing the importance of avoiding further complications.

In a statement obtained by 964media, the committee criticized the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)’s education departments for penalizing protesting teachers instead of addressing their grievances and providing support.

The committee highlighted that numerous dedicated teachers across all education departments have faced penalties.

Despite efforts to rescind penalties through voluntary lawyers and various meetings, the committee expressed disappointment that collective penalty orders persist, with the potential for reactivation in teachers’ and employees’ files at any time.

In both the western and eastern Sulaymaniyah education departments, over 3000 teachers have been penalized for absence, alongside numerous transfers.

The committee expressed optimism that authorities would heed its call to prevent renewed pressures through further protests and ensure the uninterrupted continuation of the academic year.
Being marked as “unattended” means the absent days do not count towards a teacher’s public service.

Furthermore, the committee demanded that teachers’ salaries be paid promptly on the 30th day of each month and called for the resumption of promotions, which reportedly halted in 2014 due to budget shortages after the Baghdad government ceased Kurdistan’s share of the Iraqi budget.

For months, teachers in Sulaymaniyah have been boycotting schools and protesting the delayed delivery of their salaries.