Kurdistan Education Forum 2024: advancing opportunities for future generations

Expressing optimism about the future, he added, "We are pleased to see increased family and social awareness of education, and parents paying more attention to their children’s education."

The Second Kurdistan Education Forum, 2024. (Photo: Kurdistan24)
The Second Kurdistan Education Forum, 2024. (Photo: Kurdistan24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The second Kurdistan Education Forum commenced on Thursday under the theme "Good Education, Better Opportunities." The event, overseen by Alan Hama Saeed, the Kurdistan Region's Minister of Education, aims to enhance the educational landscape in the region.

In his opening speech, Hama Saeed reflected on the history of education in Kurdistan, spanning over a century. "If we look at the history of the education sector in Kurdistan, which extends over 100 years, we see that it has gone through several stages," he said.

He highlighted a significant historical moment: "In 1907, Sheikh Abdul Salam Barzani wrote a letter to Sultan Abdul Hamid, demanding that education be in the Kurdish language and that the taxes collected be used to build schools in the villages."

Hama Saeed continued, "After 1991, the Ministry of Education was established, which is the first local ministry of the Kurdistan Regional Government."

Expressing optimism about the future, he added, "We are pleased to see increased family and social awareness of education, and parents paying more attention to their children’s education. This puts more pressure on education decision-makers to work harder so that they can improve education."

The conference underscores the crucial role of education in fostering national identity and adapting to the advancements of the Fifth Industrial Revolution, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence. It also emphasizes the need to expand vocational and technical education to better prepare students for the evolving job market.

The event is a platform for educators, policymakers, and experts to discuss strategies for improving the education system in Kurdistan, ensuring that future generations have access to quality education and better opportunities.