IDPs in Erbil condemn the closure of the Federal Ministry of Education representation

Shafaq News / Dozens of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and residents in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region (KRI), protested on Thursday denouncing the decision to close the representation of the Federal Ministry of Education.

Dhari Al-Dulaimi (from Al-Anbar) told Shafaq News Agency, "This decision harms the Arab residents of Erbil who left their governorates and settled in KRI, as it amounts to forced displacement of residents and IDPs who cannot return to their original governorates."

Abdulameer Abdulhussain, a citizen from Baghdad, told Shafaq News Agency, "I have two children studying in KRI schools. If this decision is implemented, it will affect the education of many students, so we demand its cancellation and the conversion of the representation to a directorate."

Our correspondent reported that the protesters gathered in front of the representation headquarters in the New Hawler area demanding the cancellation of the decision, which they considered "unjust."

The Iraqi Federal Ministry of Education decided on February 14 to close its representations in Erbil, al-Sulaymaniya, and Duhok, stating that this comes within the framework of implementing the decision of the Federal Cabinet to close IDPs camps.

The Federal Cabinet set July 30, 2024, as the final date for closing the camps and the return of the IDPs, according to a letter from the Federal Ministry of Education addressed to its representations in Erbil, al-Sulaymaniya, and Duhok.