The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has announced new measures to facilitate a return to education for students who survived the ISIS occupation. 

KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has directed the Ministry of Education to assist the students, including granting the authority to waive age requirements to the general directors of provinces and self-administrations.

At a press conference attended by three Yazidi survivors, Minister of Education Alan Hama Saeed outlined the new initiatives. 

The measures will allow survivors who had completed the ninth grade but were then removed from education by ISIS to resume their studies. These students will also be eligible for free education in private institutions for five academic years.

The decision will take effect in the 2024-2025 academic year.

All survivors who completed ninth grade and were later captured by ISIS, missing the legal age for education after their release, will be re-enrolled in schools under this new directive from the Ministry of Education.

In January on the International Day of Education, the Free Yezidi Foundation (FYF) highlighted the transformative power of education and the significant challenges faced by displaced Yezidi youth in Iraq. Due to prolonged displacement, many Yezidi youth remain without adequate education. 

Despite the disruption caused by conflict, FYF has been dedicated to providing quality education opportunities to young people in Khanke and Sheikhan. 

By prioritizing education, FYF aims to give Yezidi youth the chance to learn, grow, and aspire to a brighter future, breaking down the barriers that hinder access to knowledge and opportunity.