Iraq's education minister orders teacher redeployment before new school year

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Education Minister Abdul Karim al-Jubouri has issued instructions for a personnel reshuffle across ministry units ahead of the new academic year, according to a ministry statement. The directive calls for a fair redistribution of teaching staff before classes resume. Al-Jubouri held a meeting with the directors of Baghdad's Karkh and Rusafa education directorates, along with the director general of educational supervision and heads of personnel departments, the statement said. Participants discussed preparing detailed plans outlining each school's teacher needs by subject and specialization, and transferring surplus staff to schools with shortages. The minister said appointments should be based on actual need and kept free of favoritism, and that placing a qualified specialist in front of students should be the priority. The ministry added that work will continue to address staffing surpluses and fill gaps before the school year begins.