Academy Administrator: Kurdish-Language education must be constitutionally guaranteed

Speaking to ANHA Agency about the status of the Kurdish language and the need to protect the mother tongue and guarantee the right of Kurdish children to learn and study in their language without restrictions or conditions, Abdi highlighted the important role of female teachers, students and families in protecting this cultural and linguistic heritage and defending the rights of the Kurdish people guaranteed by laws and constitutional conventions.

“Although Syria has signed several agreements intended to guarantee the rights of minorities and communities within its borders, it has not complied with the provisions of those agreements,” Abdi said. “Since the implementation of the Arab Belt policy and to this day, the Kurdish people have suffered from the marginalization and denial of their rights, in addition to Kurdish children being subjected to abuse at schools for speaking Kurdish under the former regime.”

She explained that banning Kurdish-language education and depriving Kurdish children of the opportunity to learn and master their mother tongue had psychological and educational effects on generations of students. She said Kurdish children lost part of their self-confidence because they could not study their language or freely express their cultural identity.

Abdi added that depriving thousands of Kurds of Syrian citizenship was another major form of discrimination they experienced, contributing to divisions within Syrian society. She stressed that protecting the mother tongue cannot be separated from protecting identity and cultural rights, and that guaranteeing the right to mother-tongue education represents a fundamental step toward a society that respects linguistic and cultural diversity and ensures equality among its different communities.

She noted that although the Baath regime has fallen, the mentality that established policies of marginalization and discrimination remains present. She said Presidential Decree No. 13, which recognizes Kurdish as a national language, is “not enough” to meet Kurdish demands.

She explained that Kurdish must be recognized not only as a national language but also as an official language used in institutions and government departments and on official signs, while also being included in Syrian passports and identity cards. She stressed that this is a “natural and legitimate right,” particularly given the sacrifices made to reach this stage.

Abdi also pointed to major legal and educational concerns, saying that the Ministry of Education’s decision to allocate three weekly Kurdish-language classes within the school curriculum fails to take into account students who studied in Kurdish for 14 years. She also highlighted uncertainty over the status of the teachers responsible for teaching Kurdish, saying that implementing the decision in its current form could unfairly affect them.

She said the Ministry of Education now faces a key responsibility to determine the future of these students and teachers and establish a clear legal and educational framework that guarantees the continuity of Kurdish-language education while protecting the rights of both students and educational staff.

She stressed that they would continue their efforts to guarantee the rights of students and teachers and separate their status from political circumstances, strengthening their national presence and securing official recognition of their work over the years.

Abdi reiterated her call to reconsider the decision to allocate only three weekly classes to Kurdish-language education. “Decisions must be taken in the interests of students and the country,” she said, emphasizing that their demand is for “a complete Kurdish curriculum, as the Kurdish language is comprehensive and has sufficient terminology to be taught across all literary and scientific subjects.”

The Educational Research Academy administrator concluded by stressing the need for a Syrian Constitution that safeguards the cultural and linguistic rights of the Kurdish people.

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ANHA