New school year starts in Kurdistan Region

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Students across the Kurdistan Region returned to classrooms on Sunday, as bells rang marking the start of the new school year.

 

The new academic year commenced with Prime Minister Masrour Barzani ringing the ceremonial bell in a school in Zakho, Duhok province.

 

"I would like to congratulate all teachers, students, and people of the Kurdistan Region on the start of the new school year," Barzani said. "I am thanking parents for sending their kids to school. I am sure that all these students will become leaders in the future to move our country forward."

 

Around 1.8 million students study at public schools, and over 150,000 at private schools, according to the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) education ministry.

 

The number of students has increased compared to last year's statistics published by the education ministry. 

 

There are about 5,700 schools in the Kurdistan Region.

 

The KRG has built around 274 schools and kindergartens since the commencement of the 9th cabinet in 2019, with constructions still ongoing in some of them, according to data obtained by Rudaw from the education ministry.