A student's family attacked a school principal in the district of Kifri, hitting the back of his head with a "spade and stick" and injuring his arm. Five people were arrested in connection with the incident.
The incident occurred Wednesday, March 8, after a dispute arose between the school administration of a secondary school and one of the students. As a result, the 14-year-old student, Bilal Nawzad, who is in the eighth grade of middle school, left the school and returned home, taking his parents and some of his relatives with him.
Saiwan Ali, the principal of Imam Muhammad School in the Kifri district, told KirkukNow, “All the teachers complain about this student because of the problems he creates in class. They advise him a lot but he does not listen to anything. We called his family several times to talk to them, but no one showed up.”
According to Ali, the last time they asked the student to bring his parents to school was on Wednesday, March 8, "after he caused a problem in the fourth lesson, but he left the school through the outer fence, and soon his parents and a number of his relatives came and assaulted us."
"One of those involved in the assault grabbed my hand, and his father and one of his brothers attacked me with a stick and a spade, hitting the back of my head and my arm. It was clear that they came to quarrel, not dialogue," says Saiwan.
One of those involved in the assault grabbed my hand, and his father and one of his brothers attacked me with a stick and a spade
Meanwhile, the Directorate's administration called the security forces and the police, and they arrested the student and three members of his family. They also arrested another person from the next day.
The principal of the school narrated the details of the incident to (KirkukNow) while he was present at the Kifri court on March 9, to file a lawsuit.
Kifri is one of the disputed districts between the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government KRG, under the Garmian administration and its schools are affiliated to the KRG Ministry of Education.
Kifri, home to over 50,000 people, is part of Diyala province run by the Iraqi government, while administratively is one of the districts of the Garmian administration.
Garmian local administration which includes several districts and sub-districts between Sulaymaniyah and Diyala province is part of Sulaymaniyah Northern Province, one of the provinces of Kurdistan Region of Iraq KRI under the KRG.
Lieutenant Colonel Ali Jamal, Garmian police spokesman, published in a statement last night that several people were involved in the attack against Kifri school principal and one of his brothers.
He stressed that "the problem developed when the student accompanied his parents and one of his brothers with another person and stormed the school campus and a quarrel arose."
As a result, the police arrested the student's parents and brother, according to Article 230 of the Iraqi Penal Code.
The article stipulates that whoever assaults an employee or any person entrusted with a public service, a council, an official body, or a judicial or administrative court, while performing their duties or because of that, shall be punished with imprisonment for a period of up to three years or a financial penalty.
Last October, the principal of a secondary school was attacked by two people who were riding a motorcycle, suspected of being former students of that school, in Daquq district, south of Kirkuk, .
Article four of law number four of 2018 for protection of teachers dictates 1-4 years-in-prison for any one assaults a teacher or an educational supervisor. It also clearly denies access of security and military services to educational campuses.
About the case, the school's principal, Ali, said, "We want the case to take its legal course. We handed over the evidence to the judiciary. Today, members of that family came to apologize and ask for forgiveness, but I am not ready to forgive them. If they get out of this case without punishment, they will repeat it with another teacher."
The relatives of the student have their own story.
Azad Nasradin, Bilal Nawzad's uncle, explained that the roots of the problem go back to last year when a number of students assaulted Bilal with a knife. Then the students apologized for their actions and the problem was resolved through tribal reconciliation, upon the recommendation of the school principal, on the condition that the students involved to be transferred from that school.
"But the principal accepted these students into the school this year and they quarreled again with my nephew. When we asked him why did I accept them, he said I will not take your opinion on this issue and I decide who I will transfer and who I will stay in the school," Nasradin added.
Bilal was very upset during this period, and told his grandmother that Professor Saiwan constantly threatens him if his father does not come to school, he will cut his mouth
“Bilal was very upset during this period, and told his grandmother that Professor Saiwan constantly threatens him if his father does not come to school, he will cut his mouth."
The KRG ministry of education recommended court to have the final say.
Alan Hama Saeed, Minister of Education, spoke last night by phone with the principal of the school and expressed his support for the school administration to resort to the judiciary. Today, the General Directorate of Kifri Education also registered a lawsuit against the student's family.
The principal of the school handed over to the police the medical report prepared on Wednesday evening.
Regarding the reason why his brother was in the school at the time of the accident, Ali said, "His house is close to the school, and he knew about the problem that occurred while he was returning from the mosque to his home... They also attacked him because that family knows that he is my brother." According to Siwan, his brother's face was sutured with three stitches.
Bilal’s uncle denies the principal’s allegations.
“Mr. Saiwan’s brother attacked my borther Nawzad, father of Bilal."
The school principal affirmed that the incident was a shock for staff and students as well.
"The accident was unfortunate for the school administration, teachers and students. Some students felt fear because of the accident," he added.
