The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research said, “Our teachers from the beginning of the uprising up to date had a great role in developing and improving our generations in political and patriotism struggles.”
This announcement of Dr. Yusuf Goran, The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, was during releasing a speech at Kurdistan Union Teachers on May 17th, 2016 in the presence of a great number of general directors, universities’ presidents, universities’ presidents representatives, Kurdistan Union Teachers secretaries at the Kurdistan Union Teachers’ meetings room under the name of The positions of Universities’ Lecturers is the Result of the Numbers of Years’ Struggles.
At the beginning of the workshop Mr. Ahmad Sabir, the Vice President of the Union, had a speech. After welcoming Dr. Yusuf Goran, The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and a delegate of his colleague explained the target of the workshop and said, “Our main target is to find a scientific solution to the Kurdistan financial crisis.” In another part of the speech, he talked about the significant projects of The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and named them as the importance and great projects at the improvement of Kurdistan Region financial matters.
In another part of the workshop, The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research gave a speech. Dr. Yusuf Goran, after welcoming the Kurdistan Union Teachers at the beginning of the speech congratulated the anniversary of establishment of the Union and said, “We know in which circumstance this organization was founded; in a circumstance that was so sensitive. This organization though its professional mission had to seek political mission as well. This way of establishment testifies its significant role in Kurdish society, because its history is reflection of its circumstances.” In this context, Dr. Yusuf Goran said, “It doesn’t necessary that we remind people how teachers are important, but its history that reminds them and tells the Union in which time was established and for what purpose!”
The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research explained that in Kurdish uprising teachers had the leadership and motivative role and kept saying that it’s difficult to find a party without a leader whom was not member of the Union and said that is a proud for the teachers for the role they had in the society. Going back to history won’t give you an alive community without knowing how much they do respect their teachers especially the lecturers that we are talking about, because the lecturers and universities are not only a place to give certificate, but a place to create job opportunities. University is a place to develop country’s economy and socio politics. So, if we look around to the developed countries, we will find out the significant role of their teachers in their communities. Dr. Yusuf Goran said, “I don’t believe there won’t be any socio economic development in any community without the role of teachers.”
About the role of lecturers in our nowadays economic and political conditions of Kurdistan, the Minister said, “We saw since the time these economic and political crisis happened in Kurdistan, the scientific centers in universities had a great role to solve the crises. There won’t be found a day/week without a topic about this crises and prescribe solution for. Even the outside-universities seminars and meetings are not being held without lecturers, but in all of them the lecturers were pioneers. So, the lecturers not only educate our generations, but also find solution for the crises.”
Dr. Yusuf Goran said, “We all remember that were the lecturers who didn’t boycott teaching at universities after the great uprising. They not only didn’t let to boycott education at Salahaddin University, but founded Sulaimani and Dhouk universities, as well. The number of lecturers were only 200 one, but now only our professors’ numbers are more that time lecturers.” The minister of higher education and scientific research also said, “The financial crises at that time also give the lecturers a proud.”
About the lecturers’ roles in nowadays situation in Kurdistan Region, Dr. Yusuf Goran said, “In this political situation, the teachers can role a big role. For instance, sometimes we hear the opinion of political parties about a problem and a matter, but the lecturers can have a greater role by express their opinion. So, we can have a great role in the political and economic events. The Minister of higher education and scientific research also said, “It’s not something normal that the best projects and plans given to the government presidency to solve the financial crises especially salary is done by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Since, the majority of ministry’s employees are lecturers and experts, because of that our projects are counted as scientific and significant projects. Since the government talks about electronization salary and having bank account to the employees, that was one of the important projects and suggestions of our ministry and lecturers. This won’t have benefit for the lecturers only, but for the entire employees of KRG.
In the end, he said, “Now since we are meeting each other and cannot talk about an active government if the financial problems are not solved by elite experts of our society. So, the lecturers are the pioneer of society and have to be considered more to solve the problems till we synthesize our projects together and solve the problems.”
In the workshop and in different dialogue the problem of Lecturers’ salary and their Stands were talked about.