Iranian education minister may face impeachment

TEHRAN,Dec.17(MNA) – Over 25 MPs have signed a motion to impeach Education Minister Hamid Reza Haji-Babaii, MP Jabbar Kouchakinejad announced on Sunday. According to Kouchakinejad, the MPs have cited the incidents that have recently happened to a number of students across the country and certain problems facing education officials as the reasons for their decision to impeach the minister. The incidents include a fire at a school in the village of Shin Abad in Piranshahr City, which is located in West Azerbaijan Province, on December 5, in which about 30 girl students suffered burns. One student succumbed to her injuries on December 9. Other incidents stated by the MPs seeking to impeach Haji-Babaii are two accidents involving buses carrying teachers, education officials, and students over the past months. According to the Constitution, the impeachment motion should have at least 10 signatures on it before it can be delivered to the Presiding Board. And the minister must appear in the parliament to answer MPs’ questions within 10 days after the receipt of the motion is acknowledged, and then the impeachment motion will be put to a vote.