A teenager student in a district of Ninewa province has committed suicide as his relatives say the accident occurred after the Iraqi Ministry of Education decided to "cancel the third-round exams."
Muhammad Zainalabidin, who was a student at Bazwaya School for Boys, ended his life by hanging at home in Bashiqa district.
Falah Khattab, a resident of the village of Bazwaya and a relative of Zainalabidin told KirkukNow, "When the Ministry of Education issued a decision to lead the third-round exams, Muhammad was very happy about that and was studying day and night in order to be able to cross the third intermediate grade (Class 9), but unfortunately it was canceled by Ministry of Education which greatly frustrated Muhammad.”
"Mohammed was supposed to take the exams yesterday, but when he learned that the decision had been cancelled, he hanged himself inside at home," he said.
Muhammad was supposed to take exams yesterday, but when he learned that the decision had been cancelled, he hanged himself at home
According to the examination schedule issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Education on November 4th, the first day of the third-round exams all over Iraq, excluding Kurdistan Region, was scheduled on November 27th.
The decision covered students who had failed in one or two subjects.
The education system in Iraq allows students to take second round of final exams once they fail in the first yet in the last years, it has given pupils a third chance following the security and economic conditions adding the Corona Virus pandemic lately.
The exams were not held on Saturday, November 27th, when the semi-official Al-Iraqiya TV reported "the ministry was ready to take the exams, but the cabinet refused that."
Al-Iraqiya TV says that "the Ministry of Education postponed the exams for a week to see if the decisions will be changed or not."
On Sunday, November 28th, students took to the streets in several Iraqi governorates against the decision to cancel the third-round exams.
Prior to his suicide, 17-year-old Zainalbidin left a message to his parents and brothers saying, "I do not want anyone to grieve for me, I ask you to distribute the money that I saved over the past few years to the impoverished."
Khattab had read the text of Muhammad Zainalabidin's letter to Kirkuk Now.
"Mohammed was a calm and balanced person, we don't know how he made this decision. The accident shocked everyone in the village," Khattab sobbed.
