Latest news with #Teachers'Syndicate
Iraqi News
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Al-Mandlawi: The amendment to the Teacher Protection Law will be discussed and voted on in record time
Baghdad-INA First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mohsen al-Mandalawi confirmed today, Thursday, that the amendment to the Teacher Protection Law will be discussed and voted on in record time. Al-Mandalawi's media office stated in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), "First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mohsen al-Mandalawi received, at his guest house, the head of the Iraqi Teachers Syndicate, Uday Hatem al-Issawi, in the presence of Representatives Salah Zini and Qahtan al-Moussawi, to discuss the proposed law for the first amendment to the Law on the Protection of Teachers, Instructors, Supervisors, and Educational Counselors No. (8) of 2018." Al-Mandlawi "invited the head of the Teachers' Syndicate to attend today's special session of the House of Representatives, which will discuss the demands of educators," expressing his commitment "to fulfilling the demands of the educational community in a manner consistent with the powers and jurisdiction of the legislative authority." The statement emphasized that "the House of Representatives has enacted an amendment to the Teacher Protection Law since the beginning of this year, and that it will be finalized and voted on within a record time, preserving the rights of this segment and strengthening their role in leading society." For his part, the head of the Teachers' Syndicate "thanked Al-Mandlawi for adopting the amendment to the Teachers' Law, and for his efforts and continuous follow-up of the affairs of the educational family," appreciating "the role of the Council Presidency in allocating a session to discuss the educators' requests, which reflects the legislative authority's interest in ensuring justice for this large segment."
Iraqi News
08-04-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
The Cabinet holds the regular sessions, decisions included
The Cabinet held two regular sessions on Tuesday, during which it issued several decisions, including strengthening the role of governorates, granting governors powers and responsibilities in the electricity distribution sector, and approving funding for the objectives of the National Initiative for Energy Support and Emissions Reduction Policy. PM Al-Sudani chaired the 13th and 14th regular sessions of the Cabinet to compensate for the session postponed due to the Eid al-Fitr holiday, according to the PM's media office statement - received by the Iraqi News Agency - INA. The two sessions included discussions on the general situation in the country, follow-up on service and economic files, and progress on the government program, in addition to addressing items on the agenda and issuing relevant decisions. In support of educational staff and employees of the Ministry of Education, the Cabinet hosted the Head of the Teachers' Syndicate and issued a set of decisions, as follows: 1. Proceed with the distribution of residential plots for educational staff in Baghdad and the provinces, and establish a higher committee to implement the Prime Minister's directive—issued by the Higher Commission for Coordination between Governorates—approving the creation of housing districts for educational staff and employees of the Ministry of Education in Baghdad and the provinces, with the participation of the Teachers' Syndicate. 2. The Ministry of Finance shall disburse transportation allowances to educational supervisors, as allocated within the budget of each Directorate of Education. 3. The Ministry of Education shall allocate 100,000 dinars per semester to support school administration operations. 4. All provisions of the Law on the Protection of Teachers (Law No. 8 of 2018) shall be activated. 5. Survey remote schools and identify educational staff working in schools more than 100 km away from city centers; submit findings to the Ministry of Education for fair solutions. 6. The Ministry of Finance shall study the possibility of counting unpaid service years for the purposes of promotion and salary increases. 7. Educational staff shall be granted loans from state-owned banks at low interest rates to improve their living standards. In the framework of the government's housing projects, the Cabinet approved the exemption of land development projects for distribution to Ministry of Defense personnel—whose names are listed in Cabinet Resolution No. 245 of 2019, as amended by Resolution No. 23374 of 2023—from the relevant restrictions. This includes all lands previously owned by the Ministry of Defense, whether now inside or outside municipal boundaries. To support the private sector, the Cabinet approved an amendment to Cabinet Resolution No. 24413 of 2024 concerning support for the private industrial sector and the mechanism for granting land titles for industrial projects. The amendment ensures that monthly fuel allocations for industrial and construction projects will not be suspended, except in specific cases verified by the Ministry of Oil, including product smuggling, failure to resolve tax obligations or settle government dues, violations recorded by regulatory or inspection bodies, and environmental violations. The resolution also maintains a one-month annual maintenance shutdown for safe project operations and mandates that all industrial and construction projects receive fuel quotas as determined by the Ministry of Oil based on availability. During the session, the Cabinet approved a recommendation to extend the ban on importing juices, soft drinks, and pastries by continuing the implementation of Cabinet Resolution No. 23571 of 2023 for a period of six months. Local producers of these items must submit product protection applications within this period according to applicable laws, after which the resolution will no longer be in effect. As part of its environmental protection efforts, the Cabinet approved the insertion of a provision into the Environmental Standards Instructions for Project Establishment and Monitoring (Instruction No. 3 of 2011) allowing the Prime Minister to grant exemptions from those instructions based on a recommendation from the Minister of Environment. The Cabinet also reviewed the progress of development and service projects and approved several related decisions: 1. Include the works for designing and constructing a 45 km pipeline to accommodate imported gas through the floating platform and connect it to the national grid as a component within the project (Fuel Delivery for Industrial and Power Projects) and increase the total project cost. 2. Include the dry gas pipeline works as a component in the project (Completion of Anbar Combined Cycle Power Plant/ under the Framework Agreement with China) and increase the total project cost. 3. Increase the total cost of the Eastern Jazira Irrigation Project, establish a new component for executing Contract No. 26 of 2009, and proceed with the contract to construct the project's main feed canal. 4. Increase the total cost and contingency allocation for the contract (Supply and Implementation of the Right-Bank Wastewater Treatment Plant in Mosul). 5. Increase the contingency and total cost for projects: (Rehabilitation of Al-Tahrir Street in Al-Samawah), (Rehabilitation of the Southern Entrance to Al-Samawah), and (Rehabilitation of Al-Sharakiyah Streets and remaining streets in District 36 and New Professors' District in Al-Samawah). The Cabinet also approved the bill on Iraq's ratification of the Air Services Agreement between the Governments of Iraq and the Czech Republic and referred it to the Council of Representatives by the Constitution. As part of efforts to empower provinces in the electricity distribution sector, the Cabinet approved measures to strengthen the role of provinces in electricity production, granting governors the following authorities: 1. Undertake necessary procedures to install hybrid solar power units near transmission and distribution stations in districts and sub-districts, with capacities ranging from 10 to 30 megawatts per site, to enhance electricity supply and reduce demand pressure. 2. Implement the installation of household hybrid solar systems with a capacity of at least 5 kilowatts, and batteries of no less than 10 kilowatt-hours, to ease the burden on citizens and enhance power provision—at a cost lower than that of private generator subscriptions. The Cabinet also approved funding to support the objectives of the National Initiative to Promote Energy and Reduce Emissions, previously endorsed by the Cabinet. This includes afforestation efforts and sustainability projects currently under implementation by the designated authority. In the energy sector, the Cabinet approved the inclusion of the 20-inch dry gas pipeline project to the Al-Dibis Gas Power Plant. Furthermore, the Cabinet approved converting the contract model for the Kirkuk-based Hydrogenation and Gasoline Improvement Unit (12,000 barrels per day) from a BOO (Build-Own-Operate) to a BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) model, with a processing fee set at $23 per barrel. The Cabinet reviewed the progress of energy sector projects and approved an eight-month extension to the closure period specified in Resolution No. 24249 of 2024 regarding the sovereign guarantee for the Al-Khairat Thermal Power Plant, in line with the contract signed with the implementing company. The extension is effective from the date the guarantee is received, with financial dues to be paid to the investor following the commencement of commercial operations. In support of domestic industry, the Cabinet approved the following measures to protect national products: 1. Revise the estimated customs valuation for solid soap recorded by the General Commission of Customs to 2 million dinars per ton, up from 528,000 dinars per ton. 2. Impose an additional customs duty of 20% on imported soap products from all countries for four years. 3. Instruct the Ministry of Finance to regularly notify the Ministry of Industry of import volumes and collected additional duties, taking into account the increase in imports and the complainant company's capacity to meet domestic demand without causing price inflation. To support the private sector and address the challenges faced by contractors, the Cabinet approved the following: 1. Issue 5 trillion IQD in treasury bonds with a 10% interest rate to cover payments for completed investment plan projects in the 2025 budget. 2. Engaging contracting authorities and the Ministry of Planning regarding pending dues to contractors and companies, to be presented to the Economic Ministerial Council. 3. Form a committee led by the Ministry of Planning to review the Contractors Union's request for recognizing digitized versions of contracts as official originals at the governorate level. 4. Simplify the implementation of Council of Minister Resolution No. 301 of 2021 by relying on oversight audits conducted by the Federal Board of Supreme Audit, as present in the contracting entities. 5. Recognize the Iraqi Contractors Union as the official representative of contractors in all relevant governmental committees and forums. 6. Unify Ministry of Planning fees related to project advertisements, bidding, and award procedures. 7. Consult the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs on the handling of labor insurance deductions under the deduction-and-transfer system, ensuring that contractors are not subject to penalties and that previously imposed fines are canceled. The Cabinet also approved combining technical survey work with demining contracts into a single agreement as an exception to government contracting regulations. As part of continued government support for the sports sector, the Council approved an exemption for Plot No. (3/7259, District 3 Waziriya)—measuring 25 donums and allocated to Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Club from the provisions of Council of Minister Resolution No. 169 of 2022. The land will be used to construct an international-standard stadium and a sports-commercial complex to help the club generate sustainable revenues. The Cabinet also approved the draft law ratifying the agreement between the Republic of Iraq and the Russian Federation on cooperation in the field of air transport and referred the bill to the Council of Representatives for legislative action.
Shafaq News
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq teachers' protest: Strike leader in custody
Shafaq News/ Iraqi authorities have arrested the head of the Coordinating Committee for the Teachers' and Educators' Strike, Malek Hadi, and four other members amid a nationwide protest over salaries and education sector reforms, a committee official revealed on Sunday. Mohammed Jader, a committee member, confirmed the arrests, stating that warrants have been issued for all regional representatives of the strike committee. While the four detained in Najaf, Diwaniyah, and Maysan have been released, he noted, Hadi remains in custody in Baghdad. 'These actions are a violation of teachers' rights and an insult to those demanding legitimate reforms,' Jader told Shafaq News Agency, adding that the committee has received backing from several political figures and civil society organizations. The arrests come as a large-scale teachers' strike disrupted education in multiple Iraqi provinces. In Maysan, about 98% of schools shut down, and hundreds of teachers gathered at the Teachers' Syndicate headquarters, according to Shakir Al-Saadi, a member of the General Strike Committee. 'Teachers are calling for increased financial allocations, including raising marriage and child allowances to 100,000 Iraqi dinars (about $77), and extending the Education Service Law—currently applied to university faculty—to schoolteachers,' he told our Agency, asserting that the strike is open-ended until the federal government responds. In Basra, roughly 60% of public schools joined the strike, while in Baghdad, several schools in areas such as Bismayah halted operations. Diyala also saw protest gatherings in Balad Ruz and al-Muqdadiyah. 'Classes have since resumed, but teachers are awaiting Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, which will be attended by the head of the Teachers' Syndicate,' stated Ammar Al-Obaidi, spokesperson for the Diyala Education Directorate, affirming the directorate's support for the teachers' demands and its commitment to fair treatment in the education sector. In Kirkuk, teachers demonstrated outside the Directorate of Education in Taseen, calling for salary increases, equitable allowances, and land grants. However, schools remained open and classes were not disrupted. The Iraqi Coordinating Committee for the Teachers' and Educators' Strike launched the protest to pressure authorities to expand financial benefits and enforce the Education Service Law across all teaching levels. The Ministry of Education, meanwhile, instructed all schools and directorates to maintain normal schedules, citing the importance of completing the academic year without further interruptions. Separately, in Babil province, hundreds of public sector employees, contract workers, and university graduates staged protests in al-Hillah over wage disparities and limited job opportunities. Demonstrators near the provincial government building demanded implementation of a fair salary scale and the Civil Service Law, noting that some government employees earn as little as 180,000 dinars ($138) per month. Under Al-Thawra Bridge in central al-Hillah, unemployed graduates and contract workers criticized their exclusion from recent hiring efforts, urging federal authorities to ensure equitable employment and pay practices across ministries.
