SCHOOLS in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region remained shut yesterday as strike action continued and teachers insisted they would not return to classrooms until the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) pays their wages.

Teachers in the Slemani and Halabja regions walked out on Monday at the start of the new academic year.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic most students were being taught online, but schools had reopened for those in years one, two and 12.

Public-sector workers across the Kurdistan region have suffered months of delayed payment of salaries, with some unpaid since April.

Teachers have described strike action as a last resort, and say they will not return to the classroom until they get paid every month and on time.

KRG officials insist that they cannot pay public workers due to a 60 per cent drop in oil prices: oil accounts for 90 per cent of the region’s revenue.

The government in Baghdad has also axed its national budget payment to the KRG, half of which is used for the public-sector wage bill.

A striker told the Star: “Teachers and other public-sector workers haven’t been paid wages since April. The KRG said that they can’t afford payment due to coronavirus and oil prices.

“But people don’t believe them because KRG officials and other Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party officials live in luxury and haven’t been affected by the economic problems.”