Sama
By the order of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Education has announced a series of measures to facilitate the return to education for Yezidi Kurdish survivors of ISIS.
On Thursday, July 18, 2024, Minister of Education Alan Hama Saeed held a press conference with three ISIS survivors to discuss the new initiative directed by Prime Minister Barzani, which aims to reintegrate surviving Yezidi students into the education system.
Minister Saeed outlined that, under Prime Minister Barzani’s directive, all registered ISIS survivors who had been forced to leave school will be provided with the necessary support to resume their education.
The ministerial decision includes the following measures:
- General directors in the provinces and autonomous administrations will oversee a special committee, particularly in Duhok province and the Zakho autonomous administration, where the majority of survivors reside.
- General directors in the provinces and autonomous administrations are granted the authority to waive age requirements as per the Prime Minister’s directive.
- Survivors who completed the 9th grade but were forced to leave school due to ISIS captivity will be allowed to return to education, regardless of age.
- Survivors listed as having completed primary school will have the right to study in private institutions free of charge.
Minister Saeed stated that this order will take effect on July 18, 2024, and will be implemented for the 2024-2025 academic year.
The Minister emphasized that while these efforts are crucial, they are insufficient to fully address the needs of the Yezidi survivors. He underscored the importance of this initiative for the education sector and its broader implications.