Shafaq News- Baghdad

Private schools have become a growing alternative for Iraqi families struggling with overcrowded public classrooms, but the teachers driving the sector’s expansion continue to face low wages, heavy workloads and limited employment protections.

Thousands of educators have raised concerns that their wages have not matched the rapid growth of private schooling, with many earning modest incomes despite long teaching hours and additional responsibilities.

Wasn Jabar, a private school principal, told Shafaq News that teachers in many private schools receive monthly salaries of no more than 300,000 Iraqi dinars ($230).

"Some teachers work 30 teaching periods a week, with almost no breaks," she noted, criticizing the lack of appreciation for teachers’ role by some private school investors.

The private education has expanded in recent years as Iraq’s public education system continues to face a shortage of classrooms, and the widespread use of double and triple shifts.

Iraq needs between 8,000 and 10,000 new schools to address the shortage, while some classrooms have around 80 students, according to previous remarks by parliament’s Education Committee member Jawad al-Ghazali.

The growing demand for private education has made it a preferred option for many families, despite the high tuition fees they pay for their children’s education. But teachers working in the sector say their salaries often vary depending on the school’s location rather than their experience or qualifications.

Teacher Reem Hussein explained that salaries can differ significantly between neighborhoods. "In Hay al-Jamiaa, a teacher’s salary ranges between 250,000 and 400,000 dinars ($190-$305)," she said, adding that salaries at private schools in Baghdad’s al-Mansour district can reach 600,000 dinars ($460) per month.

Official figures from the Ministry of Education show that Iraq had more than 3,500 private schools operating across different educational levels in 2024. According to education statistics compiled with Iraq’s Ministry of Education and the Central Statistical Organization, state-run schools employed 466,681 teaching staff during the 2024/2025 academic year.

Despite the sector’s expansion, teachers say many private schools still lack clear employment standards, particularly regarding salary deductions, paid leave and social security coverage.

"The salaries are reduced during holidays announced by the Ministry of Education or provincial councils, even though teachers have no control over those decisions," teacher Faten Ali told Shafaq News.

"The student pays the full tuition fee, so why are teachers’ salaries reduced without accountability?" she added, calling for stronger regulations requiring private schools to provide social security coverage and protect workers’ rights, including paid leave during the academic year.

Teacher Bushra al-Halfi also pointed to the additional duties often assigned to teachers outside working hours, including preparing educational materials, training activities and other school-related tasks, stressing that low salaries and increasing demands have pushed some teachers to leave private schools.

The concerns raised by teachers have led to a series of protests across Iraq. In April, thousands of teachers and education employees joined strikes and demonstrations in Baghdad and several provinces, including Basra, Wasit, Karbala, Kirkuk and Najaf, calling for salary reforms, housing allocations and changes to employment regulations.

The demonstrations continued for several days, prompting the government to approve a package of measures addressing some of the educators’ demands, including reviewing salary issues, allocating land plots and enforcing provisions of the Teacher Protection Law.

On Monday, Zuleikha Elias, chairwoman of Iraq’s parliament Education Committee, noted that Baghdad is considering amendments to the Law on the Protection of Teachers, with the proposed changes including the distribution of free residential plots of land to teachers, educators, supervisors and other Ministry of Education employees.

Citing that the previous law allowed land allocations in exchange for financial payments and mainly covered teaching staff and supervisors, she explained that the proposed amendments would extend the benefit to all ministry employees without requiring payment.

"The committee has also recommended increasing professional allowances from 150,000 dinars (about $115) to 300,000 dinars (about $230)," she added, citing additional benefits for teachers working in remote areas.

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