Shafaq News- Baghdad
Private schools have become a growing alternative for
Iraqi families struggling with overcrowded public classrooms, but the teachers
driving the sector’s expansion continue to face low wages, heavy workloads and
limited employment protections.
Thousands of educators have raised concerns that their
wages have not matched the rapid growth of private schooling, with many earning
modest incomes despite long teaching hours and additional responsibilities.
Wasn Jabar, a private school principal, told Shafaq
News that teachers in many private schools receive monthly salaries of no more
than 300,000 Iraqi dinars ($230).
“Some teachers work 30 teaching periods a week,
with almost no breaks,” she noted, criticizing the lack of appreciation
for teachers’ role by some private school investors.
The private education has expanded in recent years as
Iraq’s public education system continues to face a shortage of classrooms, and
the widespread use of double and triple shifts.
Iraq needs between 8,000 and 10,000 new schools to
address the shortage, while some classrooms have around 80 students, according
to previous remarks by parliament’s Education Committee member Jawad
al-Ghazali.
The growing demand for private education has made it a
preferred option for many families, despite the high tuition fees they pay for
their children’s education. But teachers working in the sector say their
salaries often vary depending on the school’s location rather than their
experience or qualifications.
Teacher Reem Hussein explained that salaries can
differ significantly between neighborhoods. “In Hay al-Jamiaa, a teacher’s
salary ranges between 250,000 and 400,000 dinars ($190-$305),” she said,
adding that salaries at private schools in Baghdad’s al-Mansour district can
reach 600,000 dinars ($460) per month.
Official figures from the Ministry of Education show
that Iraq had more than 3,500 private schools operating across different
educational levels in 2024. According to education statistics compiled with
Iraq’s Ministry of Education and the Central Statistical Organization,
state-run schools employed 466,681 teaching staff during the 2024/2025 academic
year.
Despite the sector’s expansion, teachers say many
private schools still lack clear employment standards, particularly regarding
salary deductions, paid leave and social security coverage.
“The salaries are reduced during holidays
announced by the Ministry of Education or provincial councils, even though
teachers have no control over those decisions,” teacher Faten Ali told
Shafaq News.
“The student pays the full tuition fee, so why
are teachers’ salaries reduced without accountability?” she added, calling
for stronger regulations requiring private schools to provide social security
coverage and protect workers’ rights, including paid leave during the academic
year.
Teacher Bushra al-Halfi also pointed to the additional
duties often assigned to teachers outside working hours, including preparing
educational materials, training activities and other school-related tasks,
stressing that low salaries and increasing demands have pushed some teachers to
leave private schools.
The concerns raised by teachers have led to a series
of protests across Iraq. In April, thousands of teachers and education
employees joined strikes and demonstrations in Baghdad and several provinces,
including Basra, Wasit, Karbala, Kirkuk and Najaf, calling for salary reforms,
housing allocations and changes to employment regulations.
The demonstrations continued for several days,
prompting the government to approve a package of measures addressing some of
the educators’ demands, including reviewing salary issues, allocating land
plots and enforcing provisions of the Teacher Protection Law.
On Monday, Zuleikha Elias, chairwoman of Iraq’s
parliament Education Committee, noted that Baghdad is considering amendments to
the Law on the Protection of Teachers, with the proposed changes including the
distribution of free residential plots of land to teachers, educators,
supervisors and other Ministry of Education employees.
Citing that the previous law allowed land allocations
in exchange for financial payments and mainly covered teaching staff and
supervisors, she explained that the proposed amendments would extend the
benefit to all ministry employees without requiring payment.
“The committee has also recommended increasing
professional allowances from 150,000 dinars (about $115) to 300,000 dinars
(about $230),” she added, citing additional benefits for teachers working
in remote areas.
Read more: $103 allowance denied: Teachers accuse government of betrayal
