Shafaq News / Teachers, lecturers, administrative staff, and retirees rallied in large numbers in al-Sulaymaniyah on Sunday, decrying the delay in their salary disbursements and the lack of job security for adjunct lecturers.

Shafaq News Agency's correspondent in al-Sulaymaniyah reported that the protests ensued following the call from the Minister of Education in the Kurdistan Regional Government, urging educators to return to classrooms to commence the new academic year.

Last Thursday, Minister Alan Hamah Saeed urged lecturers, teachers, and volunteer educators in al-Sulaymaniyah and its surrounding areas to end their strike and resume official duties in schools and educational institutions starting the upcoming week. In response, they announced their plans to prepare for demonstrations early this week.

Speaking on behalf of the protesting educational professionals, Mohammad Raouf emphasized that their demonstrations would persist, unaffected by any official statements, until their lawful rights were acknowledged.

Raouf clarified, "Our protests are not against any individual or official; rather, they are to assert our rights to maintain a decent standard of living and to fulfill our daily professional duties. We require funds for transportation, communication, clothing, and other essential necessities to carry out our daily professional obligations. Additionally, these funds are vital for our families and children's daily needs. Without salaries, we cannot continue our lives normally."

Raouf reiterated their commitment to ongoing protests and strikes until their demands were met, including the release of delayed salaries, implementation of expected professional bonuses and raises that have been pending for over nine years, and the permanent employment of adjunct lecturers.