Kongra Star: Education in Kurdish language is fundamental and essential right

Kongra Star issued a statement today at Free Women's Square in the city of Kobani regarding the Ministry of Education's decision to limit Kurdish language instruction to just three classes per week. The event was attended by dozens of representatives from women's organizations.

The statement, read by Kongra Star member Jouri Tami, addressed the decision issued on August 27 by the Transitional Government's Ministry of Education concerning the Kurdish language. It explained that students, educational staff, and the families of Kurdish students deemed the allocation of three weekly classes insufficient, noting that it fails to meet the Kurdish people's aspirations to learn their mother tongue freely, without restrictions or conditions.

The statement added: "Education in one's mother tongue is a universal human right that knows no bounds; no political or military institution has the right to strip our children of this right. This decision constitutes an assault on our people's culture, history, and dignity."

The statement noted that tens of thousands of Kurdish students in Kobani have been studying in their mother tongue for 14 years, warning of the decision's repercussions: "Making such a decision overnight will deprive tens of thousands of students of their right to education and drive them to abandon their studies."

It concluded by affirming that "Kongra Star in Kobani—in coordination with various institutions and the people of Kobani—categorically rejects this decision. We assert that we will not remain silent in the face of any decision affecting the Kurdish language, and we will escalate our struggle and resistance to defend Kurdish language and culture."

Kongra Star concluded its statement by affirming: "Until our full and official right to education in our mother tongue is recognized, our students will not attend school, nor will they accept receiving an education in any language other than their own. We are not opposed to learning other languages; rather, we demand the right to speak our mother tongue—the language written in the blood of the martyrs who shaped our history. We will continue to protect and preserve our language, for it embodies our honor and identity, and we will persist in our struggle for it until the very end."

Sh-S

ANHA