Education

Saturday becomes a holiday in Kurdistan Region public education centers

“The details of the decision will be explained later to all public educational centers," the Minister of Education said.

Kurdistan 24 2023/07/16 17:14

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Education Alan Hama Saeed speaking at the press conference, July 16, 2023. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Kurdistan Education Alan Hama Saeed Saturdays Schools

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government Minister of Education Alan Hama Saeed announced in a presser that they have declared Saturdays as an official holiday in Kurdistan Region public education centers for the 2023/2024 school year.

“The details of the decision will be explained later to all public educational centers," the Minister of Education said.

Saeed also stated that schools could use Saturdays to hold festivals, events, and ceremonies, as well as final exams for the first or second semester.

Saeed added that the decision came after extensive discussions among the ministry’s council members regarding the academic year calendar.

Regarding the benefits of this decision, Saeed explained that “Teachers will work five days instead of six days; a kind of justice will be created in the way teachers work in public education centers. It also reduces transportation costs for teachers, students, and employees."

Furthermore, he revealed that this year schools will be open on September 13 for public and private schools, except for international schools, because “they have their [own] curriculum.”

“The upcoming academic year 2023/2024 will not be less than 170 days, and we have maintained the level of school days according to the new guidelines,” the Minister underlined.

Previously in Nov. 2022, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani praised the passage of the Education and Learning Bill by the Kurdistan Region parliament.

Later in Dec. 2022, PM Barzani inaugurated the Commission for Accreditation of Institutions and Curricula of Education and Higher Education, which aims to establish a set of international standards adopted in education, educational curricula, and higher education in the Kurdistan Region.

Moreover, the PM emphasized the body’s aim to reduce the difference in the scientific quality in both public and private educational centers and universities to ensure raising in educational and scientific levels.

Furthermore, these changes strive to enable accreditation through a process of assessments and guidance, while also supporting the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to obtain accreditation certificates for universities and schools.