# Kurdistan Teachers' Union President Calls for Strengthening Educational Partnerships at International Conference in Cairo

*Cairo - Special Report**

Ahmad Saber, President of the Kurdistan Teachers' Union, emphasized the importance of activating partnerships between governments, educational unions, and international organizations, considering it "a vital step toward improving the quality of education in the Arab region." This came during his participation in a session entitled "Strengthening Partnerships: Cooperation between Governments, Educational Unions, and International Organizations," as part of the second day of the International Conference on Education in Conflict Areas in Arab Countries, currently hosted by Cairo.

## Salary Crisis Hits the Educational Sector in Kurdistan

Saber began his speech by thanking the International Education Organization and the Educational Professions Union in the Arab Republic of Egypt for organizing the conference, before highlighting the main problems facing teachers in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, primarily the crisis of delayed salary payments and failure to receive full financial entitlements.

Saber explained that the financial crisis that began in 2015 in the region resulted from a combination of factors, most notably "the cutting of the region's budget by the central government, the sharp decline in global oil prices, the arrival of more than one million displaced people from central Iraq due to the ISIS war, as well as the absence of advance planning for the region's economic policy."

The President of the Kurdistan Teachers' Union revealed details of the financial crisis that has lasted for years, saying: "In 2015, employees received only 8 salaries, with 4 full salaries not distributed. Throughout 2016, only 25% to 40% of due salaries were paid, and this situation continued in 2017 as well."

He added: "Despite some improvement in subsequent years, the problem returned severely in 2020, where 7 full salaries were not paid." He pointed to the continued suffering in 2021, where "only 6 full salaries were received, while the other 6 were received with deductions ranging between 40% and 60%."

Saber noted that the situation has begun to improve in recent years, with 9 salaries received in 2022 and 11 salaries in 2024. "Since the beginning of 2025, things have improved slightly, and teachers have received salaries for the first three months."

## Ongoing Challenges Facing Teachers

The President of the Kurdistan Teachers' Union confirmed that the crisis is not over yet, pointing to the continuation of a number of major problems, most notably "the suspension of promotions since 2016, failure to properly disburse entitlements for retirees who were referred to retirement before 2024, in addition to the presence of 36,000 lecturer teachers who were converted to the contract system without enjoying full rights."

He explained that the Kurdistan Teachers' Union made strenuous efforts to address these problems, including "visiting the Kurdistan Parliament several times to convey teachers' demands, holding meetings with the Ministry of Finance and the Council of Ministers to demand a reduction in the mandatory savings rate, sending numerous official letters to the concerned authorities, and organizing meetings with various political figures and parties."

Saber expressed his regret that "despite all these efforts, the problem of delayed salaries and mandatory savings has not been comprehensively resolved, and its negative impact on the daily lives of teachers and their families has continued, leading to a decline in their standard of living and weakening their ability to continue their professional work."

## Education Challenges in the Arab Region

In his speech, Saber moved on to discuss the main challenges facing the education sector in the Arab region in general, and Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in particular, which he identified in five main axes:

"First, the need to develop educational infrastructure in light of demographic changes and population displacement. Second, the necessity of updating curricula to keep pace with labor market requirements and technological development. Third, working on developing teachers' capabilities and improving their living and professional conditions. Fourth, ensuring quality education and equal opportunities for all students regardless of their social and economic backgrounds. Finally, integrating technology into education while taking into account the digital divide between different regions."

## Successful Experiences in Cooperation between Unions and Governments

The President of the Kurdistan Teachers' Union reviewed successful models of cooperation between educational unions and governments in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, saying: "At the level of federal Iraq, there is great and fruitful cooperation between the Iraqi Teachers' Union and the central government, where the government takes the union's opinion in any decision related to education and teachers' affairs."

He added: "Through this cooperation, the union has achieved important gains for teachers in the areas of professional and financial rights and representation in educational decision-making, and has succeeded in providing an integrated support system for teachers including professional, social, and health aspects."

Regarding the Kurdistan Region, Saber explained: "We have built a real partnership with the government in addressing social issues that affect the educational environment, most notably combating drugs that have spread recently among students."

He continued: "We work in a participatory manner with official bodies in developing curricula and addressing school infrastructure problems, and we have been able to establish an institutional relationship with the Ministry of Education that ensures continuous consultation in decisions related to teachers and the educational process."

## Foundations and Proposals for Strengthening Partnership

Saber identified four main foundations for effective partnership between governments, educational unions, and international organizations: "Real participation in decision-making, building mutual trust, complementarity in roles, and continuous evaluation and development."

The President of the Kurdistan Teachers' Union presented a set of practical proposals to strengthen this partnership, most notably:

"Establishing a regional coordinating council for education that includes representatives from governments, unions, and international organizations; designing joint programs to develop teachers' capabilities that invest in the experiences of international organizations and take into account the real needs of teachers; establishing a digital platform for cooperation that facilitates the exchange of information and experiences between Arab countries; and implementing joint research projects that study common educational challenges in the region and propose practical solutions."

## Call for Joint Action

Saber concluded his speech by emphasizing that "strengthening the partnership between governments, educational unions, and international organizations is not a luxury, but an urgent necessity to face the multiple challenges facing the education sector in our region."

He expressed his confidence that "the conference will be a real beginning for a new phase of constructive cooperation, and that its recommendations will be translated into practical steps that serve education issues in the Arab region."

The International Conference on Education in Conflict Areas in Arab Countries is witnessing wide participation from various stakeholders, where ideas and experiences are exchanged on ways to enhance effective partnerships to achieve a better educational future for children and youth in Arab countries.

*End of Report*