Sulaimaniyah school canteen operators seek compensation for lost income

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq — School canteen operators renting space inside schools in Sulaimaniyah are demanding compensation from the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Ministry of Education for losses suffered during a partial halt to classes last academic year. Azi Yusuf, a representative of Sulaimaniyah canteen operators, told a press conference that the operators had signed contracts with the ministry based on the official school calendar. He said classes were suspended for an extended period last year due to a conflict between the United States and Iran, directly cutting canteen revenues, while rent and other financial obligations continued throughout. Yusuf called for compensation to be paid in cash or through another method the government considers appropriate, and asked that this year's contracts include explicit guarantees of compensation in the event of renewed school suspensions. He also said that in some cases rent exceeds the operator's annual profit and called for the tender prices to be reassessed. Separately, Yusuf criticized a ministry directive banning the sale and consumption of certain foods in schools, noting that students can buy the same products from shops near the school and bring them inside. He urged the restrictions be extended to cover nearby sales points as well.