Controversy erupts at Raparin University over mass faculty appointments, Vice President Resigns
Faculty members and students have voiced strong objections to the appointment process, telling Kurdistan24 that university officials, including the president and department heads, allegedly prioritized their relatives for positions.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — A major controversy has erupted at Raparin University following the Higher Education Ministry's approval to appoint 395 lecturers, leading to the resignation of the university's vice president amid allegations of nepotism and corruption.
Faculty members and students have voiced strong objections to the appointment process, telling Kurdistan24 that university officials, including the president and department heads, allegedly prioritized their relatives for positions.
"Some appointees have never worked as lecturers or even university staff," claimed multiple sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Dr. Peshawa Hamid, the university's vice president, announced his resignation on Sunday, through a detailed Facebook post addressing the controversy.
In his statement, Hamid, who has served in various administrative roles including department head and college dean over the past 12 years, emphasized his track record of helping hundreds of local youth secure teaching positions.
"Throughout my tenure, I could have easily secured lecturer positions for my brothers, cousins, and relatives, which would have been legally permissible, but I chose not to," Hamid wrote. "I have never requested appointments for my relatives during my service on either the previous or current council."
Addressing recent events, Hamid revealed he was contacted about providing his brother's credentials for a potential contract position.
"As any ordinary citizen would, I submitted the information for my brother, who has been a university graduate for 14 years. However, I only later discovered this was being processed under the lecturer appointment scheme," he explained.
Hamid concluded his statement by announcing his resignation from the vice president position while maintaining his role as a lecturer, citing the need to protect his family's reputation.
"I am not involved in any way with the positive or negative aspects of these appointments," he stressed.
This controversy highlights ongoing concerns about transparency and fairness in academic appointments within the Kurdistan Region's higher education system.
The case has drawn particular attention due to the unprecedented number of simultaneous appointments and allegations of systematic nepotism.