MPs hold first reading of legislative proposal to extend this term of Parliament, second reading of articles 81 to 154 of the Bill on Education and Training
The Kurdistan Parliament on 5 October 2022 held the first reading of the legislative proposal to extend the current term of Parliament for another year, until late-2023. MPs also continued the second reading of the Bill on Education and Training, reading articles 81 to 154 on quality assurance, inspections and exams, as well as the provisions on private schools.
Speaker Faiq presided over the sitting, with Deputy Speaker Dr. Hemin Hawrami and Secretary Muna Kahveci alongside her.
The Legislative Committee held the first reading of the Legislative Proposal to extend the current fifth term of the Kurdistan Parliament - Iraq, per articles 78 (paragraph 5), 79 and 80. Per Article 92, the majority of MPs voted to fast-track the proposal. The bill consists of three articles and its purpose, and was submitted by the legally required number of MPs.
If the proposal passes into law, the current fifth term of Parliament, which was due to end on 6 November 2022, will continue until November 2023, and elections must be held before or by the end of the extension.
In the presence of the KRG Education Minister Alan Hama Saeed and Dr. Seywan Ali from the ministry, the education and legislative committees first read articles 81 to 99 of the Bill on Education and Training in Kurdistan Region, which are the provisions on the rights and responsibilities of public schools’ staff, school timetabling (number of weekly lessons), staff committees, curricula and study plans, exams and grades, report cards, award certificates, the goals, principles and timing of exams, other tests, and the principles of how exam grades are counted.
After the break, Parliament continued with the bill’s reading, from articles 100 to 154, on: prosecuting those who steal, discuss or trade in exam papers; verification of graduation documents; the quality assurance, supervision and evaluation system; the Ministry’s responsibility for quality assurance; the directorate, director and execution of the quality assurance system in education and training institutions; annual assessment of state (government) schools and teachers, the evaluation process and its outcomes; quality assurance for the establishment of new institutions; the purpose and responsibilities of supervision (inspection) and evaluation, the supervisor’s (inspector’s) responsibilities and performance procedures during visits; and appointing school supervisors.
The articles also included the provisions on non-state (private) schools: their objectives, types and establishment; conditions for granting them licences; the requirements and submission of licence applications and the Ministry’ procedures for granting permission; relinquishing and transferring licences; reasons, conditions, procedures and investigations for revoking licences; private schools’ curricula; their admissions, exam and awards systems; their curricula, books, subjects, and language of study; private schools’ administrative units and staff, principals and vice principals, teachers and employees; the rights of employees at non-state schools, conditions of employment; employment contracts; the principal’s responsibilities; the formation and responsibilities of the school’s administrative council; annual tuition fees and taxes; and the quality assurance, supervision and evaluation system at private schools.
MPs made many detailed suggestions on each article of the bill, which will be considered when the committees draw up their voting report.
Minister Alan Hama Saeed and the education and legislative explained some points in response to MPs’ comments and questions about those articles.
