Derik students condemn Interim Govt.'s attempts to change school names

Dozens of students gathered on Thursday at the Martyr Youssef al-Azma School to denounce the Syrian Interim Government's attempts to change the names of schools in the Jazira region. These schools are named after martyrs from the area, and the Interim Government has already resorted to changing school names in areas like Raqqa and Tabqa without consulting the local population, in a clear attempt to erase the region's history and values.

The statement, read by the student Aland Hassen, included: "Our martyrs are our highest values. They are a living memory of sacrifice, resistance, and honor. Each one carries a story, a struggle, and the will of a people to survive."

He added, "The Interim Government in Damascus wants to change the names of our schools and replace the names of our martyrs with names of its own choosing. They want to impose this change on us in an authoritarian manner, and we consider this a direct attack on our values." He emphasized that changing the names is not merely a cosmetic change, but an attempt to erase the community's memory.

The statement concluded: "As students, we understand that education is not merely receiving information within the walls of the school, but also a responsibility to preserve and develop our identity, language, culture, and values. Based on this sense of responsibility, we reject any policies imposed upon us and will resolutely defend our right to exist."

ANHA