Kirkuk unpaid lecturers protest for contract employment

KIRKUK, Iraq — Dozens of unpaid lecturers gathered in front of the Kirkuk governorate building to demand that they be hired on contract, like their counterparts in other provinces. The demonstrators briefly blocked the main road leading to the governorate, holding banners and chanting slogans calling on local authorities to respond to their demands. One protester, Mustafa Mohammed, said the lecturers had been excluded from contract appointments despite years of service, describing the situation as unjust. Another demonstrator, Israa Jabbar, said the lengthy processing of their files had left them facing difficult living conditions. Jabbar called on the relevant institutions to extend contract rights to their colleagues in Kirkuk. The lecturers said they would continue peaceful protests until their demands are met and a decision covering their case is issued.