Kurdish youth discuss problems with education in Kurdistan Region

“The first goal was to connect the youth with the people in charge, with the lawmakers, stakeholders, especially on issues such as education and higher education.”

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Youth Council on Saturday organized a workshop funded by the French and German consulate to discuss how to improve Kurdistan’s education sector by connecting the youth to decision makers.

“The first goal was to connect the youth with the people in charge, with the lawmakers, stakeholders, especially on issues such as education and higher education,” Aaso Ameen Shwan, a member of the steering committee of Kurdistan’s Youth Council, told Kurdistan 24.

The youth were introduced to senior representatives from the higher education department and advisors who counsel the parliament on education.

Moreover, another of the Youth Council’s goals is to unite youth from all provinces of the Kurdistan Region and to activate their role in Kurdistan’s society.

“Our next step is to hold two other events in Duhok and Sulaimani,” Shwansaid.

According to Dr. Banu Abdullah, one of the organizers of the Youth Council, the organization also strives to have a balanced youth committee.

“The aim is to have a 50-50 gender balanced council in the whole region,” she said. “We also try to have people from different backgrounds and different provinces such as Erbil, Sulaimani, Halabja, and Duhok.”

During the event, the Kurdish youth identified several problems in the Kurdistan Region’s education system: the low salaries for teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and a lack of coordination between ministries and public and private schools.

Eman Ibrahim, 22, a fourth-grade medical student from Erbil, told Kurdistan 24 she participated in the conference to express her opinions and hopes her ideas will be integrated into the education system. She confirmed that Kurdistan’s teachers are underpaid.

“If you don’t have a good salary, you won’t be a good teacher. You won’t go to training [sessions], or try to search for new strategies for students,” Ibrahim said. “You will keep using outdated information.”

Moreover, she said there is a significant difference in the education level of private schools compared to public schools.

“In some high schools and private schools, they do introduce research matters,” Ibrahim explained. “However, in normal public schools, research is not even introduced to students.”

As a result, students face problems when they have to go to university and have to perform research by themselves. “There is no unified private and public system.”

Furthermore, classes in most public universities are overcrowded. This leads to less teaching time, and fewer attention teachers give students.

Shene Hatam, 26, who graduated from the civil department of engineering at Salahaddin University, says another problem is that students lack work experience after they graduate.

“Employers want two years of experience; that is something we don’t have. This means employers don’t believe in the education system,” she added.

Muhamad S. Ismail, 20, a medical student, told Kurdistan 24 he found the event useful. “Of course, I learn from them, and I focus on their advice to make education better.”

Ismail said he heard about the event on Twitter, adding it has become his “duty to be a part” of such occasions.

“Although I am already studying in university, I still care about my community, sisters, and brothers, and it’s my duty to work for the community.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany