Kurdish Education in Kirkuk Expands to 550 Schools with Continued KRG Support
Ali said the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has played a key role in supporting Kurdish education, noting that the KRG’s Ministry of Education sends more than one million textbooks annually to Kurdish schools in the province.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdish education in Kirkuk province has witnessed significant growth since 2003, expanding from a single school to approximately 550 Kurdish schools today, according to Kamaran Ali, Director of Kurdish Education in Kirkuk.
Speaking to Kurdistan24, Ali said the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has played a key role in supporting Kurdish education, noting that the KRG’s Ministry of Education sends more than one million textbooks annually to Kurdish schools in the province.
Ali highlighted that during the tenure of the KRG’s ninth cabinet, more than 2,000 contract teachers were converted into permanent staff, stressing that support provided to provinces within the Kurdistan Region was also extended to Kurdish education in areas outside KRG control without discrimination. He added that the Minister of Education has pledged to address the remaining challenges facing Kurdish education in Kirkuk.
He further noted that, under the direction of Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Kurdish employees and teachers will be eligible to receive plots of land allocated by the KRG, describing the move as an important step to improve living conditions and job stability for educators.
Meanwhile, Alan Hama Saeed, the KRG Minister of Education, also told Kurdistan24 that the ninth cabinet has consistently supported Kurdish education in areas outside KRG control. He revealed that the KRG allocated 1.8 billion Iraqi dinars specifically to support Kurdish education in these areas.
Saeed added that following the New Year, the Ministry of Education plans to visit Khanaqin district with a comprehensive program aimed at rehabilitating schools and providing essential educational materials.
Kurdish education in Kirkuk and other areas outside KRG control has faced longstanding challenges due to administrative disputes, budget constraints, and shortages of teaching staff and materials. Since 2003, the KRG has sought to preserve Kurdish language education in these areas by supplying textbooks, supporting teachers’ salaries, and funding school infrastructure, viewing education as a cornerstone for cultural preservation and social stability.
