SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region – The commencement of the new school year in the Kurdistan Region has been overshadowed by a teacher strike in Sulaimani due to unpaid salaries for July and August, with some teachers protesting for full-contract employment.
The Sulaimani teachers’ union, frustrated by the ongoing financial disputes between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi government, has declared a strike. They insist they will not return to classrooms until they receive their overdue salaries.
Adding to the crisis, healthcare workers in the region have also gone on strike, placing additional strain on public services. The simultaneous strikes underscore the dire financial challenges Kurdistan faces and the urgent need for resolution.
During a back-to-school event in Erbil, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced that he will visit Baghdad to address lingering financial disputes between Erbil and Baghdad.
Photos by Hamasur S. Fatah/ Zoom News
