Teachers in Sulaymaniyah, Halabja threaten to cut short academic year over unpaid salaries

SULAYMANIYAH — Teachers across Sulaymaniyah and Halabja have vowed to keep their classrooms closed until they receive their full December salaries, escalating a strike that began in November over unpaid wages.

Educators say they have only received salaries for November—paid in January 2025—and have no clarity on when they will see payment for December. The ongoing dispute stems from a broader financial crisis involving the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government in Baghdad, which have clashed over salary disbursements for public sector employees.

Baghdad’s Ministry of Finance claims it transferred more than 13 trillion dinars (about $8.67 billion) to the Kurdistan Region for 2024 salaries, a figure the KRG disputes, alleging it received only 10 trillion dinars (about $6.67 billion). Under a new agreement, Baghdad recently provided January salaries, which public employees in the region have now received. Despite this, the education sector in Sulaymaniyah and Halabja remains effectively paralyzed, aside from 12th-grade classes still operating for students preparing for national exams.

On Feb. 9, hundreds of teachers from Sulaymaniyah and Halabja attempted to stage a demonstration at the United Nations compound in Erbil but were blocked by security forces and forced to return. At a press conference Tuesday, representatives of the protesting teachers said, “We reaffirm the continuation of the strike and give the authorities a final opportunity to distribute December salaries and officially guarantee the full payment of public sector wages.”

They warned that if their demands are not met, they will “end the academic year and halt all educational activities.” The teachers also expressed support for colleagues who recently ended a 15-day hunger strike, declaring that “the era of working without salaries is over.” They accused the government of trying to ignore their grievances and likened the situation to previous unpaid wages.

“The government wants to treat December’s salaries like other forfeited wages,” they said, explaining why they insist on maintaining the strike. They added, “We are granting the government one last chance to distribute the December salaries and officially guarantee future payments through the Rasheed and Rafidain banks.”

The dispute echoes ongoing financial challenges since 2014. Teachers noted that, besides December 2024, three months’ pay from 2023 remains unpaid, and similar shortfalls have recurred in earlier years due to repeated budget disagreements between Baghdad and the KRG.