Dozens of teachers affiliated with the Iraqi Ministry of Education gathered in Kirkuk, demanding various requests, including a 100 percent increase in their allowances.
The rally on Sunday coincided with teachers across Iraq rising up to present their demands to the government, threatening to boycott education process if their requests are not met.
"The demands of the teachers in Kirkuk mirror those of educators in other Iraqi provinces and threaten to boycott education process," a reporter for KirkukNow stated in front of the Kirkuk Education Directorate.
Overall, teachers have submitted multiple requests to the government through the Iraqi Teachers' Union, such as increasing their allowances from 150,000 Iraqi dinars IQD (USD100) to 300,000 IQD, reviewing their basic salaries, and providing land or housing units in suitable locations for living.
Teachers also demand legal protection against threats and violence directed at educators throughout Iraq.
Dozens of teachers gathered in front of the General Directorate of Education in Kirkuk and threatened to boycott classrooms. Despite the Ministry of Education calling for teachers to resume normal work on Sunday, April 6, the teachers remain firm in their demands.
The Ministry of Education emphasized the importance of completing the curriculum and daily lessons as outlined in the school administration schedule, a statement by the ministry on its Facebook account on April 6.
The number of teachers and employees within the Iraqi Ministry of Education is nearly one million, and through the Iraqi Teachers Union, they have presented their demands to the Council of Ministers.
They await a prompt response, warning of a potential boycott across all provinces as the school doors are shut in June and final exams are approaching.
Iraqi Education Minister Ibrahim al-Jabbari met with the Iraqi Teachers Union on Saturday in the presence of Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Hamid Naim.
"The meeting aims to implement the prime minister's directives and demonstrate the government's commitment to supporting educational staff, as they are crucial to human development," he stated.
Regarding the teachers' demand, the Minister of Education stressed that Oday Isawi, deputy head of the Iraqi Teachers Union, will be invited to a meeting of the Council of Ministers to present the teachers' demands scheduled for Tuesday, April 8.
Iraq’s education infrastructure is in ruins in many parts of the country; one in every two schools is damaged and needs rehabilitation, says a report by the United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF about education in Iraq.
Many schools operate in multiple shifts due to inadequate buildings and staff in an attempt to accommodate as many students as possible, squeezing the little learning time that children have.
