Syrian Education Ministry approves Kurdish in schools

The Syrian Ministry of Education and Teaching in the transitional government today issued Decision No. 493 of 2026, amending the executive instructions governing the implementation of Decree No. 13 of 2026. The amendments allow Kurdish to be taught in public and private schools in areas where Kurdish citizens constitute a significant proportion of the population, while also regulating teaching mechanisms and ensuring the availability of qualified educational staff.

According to the decision, issued in Damascus on August 27, 2026, the amendments are intended to safeguard cultural and linguistic rights, promote cultural diversity, and establish mechanisms for implementing the decree in the education sector in line with general education policies, the principle of equal opportunity and the proper functioning of the educational process.

Provisions on the Education Curriculum

Article 2 of the decision provides for Kurdish to be taught as a national language in public and private schools, particularly in areas where Kurdish citizens constitute a significant proportion of the population.

It also provides for Kurdish-language education at all school levels, making it part of the approved curriculum.

The decision establishes two Kurdish-language courses:

Kurdish Language: Three lessons per week, taught alongside Arabic and English. Its grade will count toward students’ final overall grades in accordance with the approved regulations.

Activities: One lesson per week.

During the transitional period, students will, during the first academic year following the decision’s entry into force, have the option of studying social studies, history, geography and philosophy in either Arabic or Kurdish, according to the approved curricula. This option will apply only during that academic year.

The National Center for Curriculum Development was also tasked with preparing Kurdish-language curricula for all educational stages in accordance with approved scientific and educational standards and in line with the national curriculum framework. It was also tasked with translating the activities course in accordance with the approved activities guide.

Mechanism for Providing Teaching Staff

Under Article 3, the Education Directorate and the Educational Supervision Directorate were tasked with providing the necessary educational and teaching staff to teach Kurdish, either from within or outside the existing staffing structure, subject to specific requirements.

These requirements include:

University graduates or graduates of teacher-training institutes who are proficient in Kurdish.

Holders of a general secondary education certificate who are proficient in Kurdish, when necessary and according to actual staffing needs.

The decision also requires applicants to demonstrate proficiency in Kurdish by passing written and oral tests administered by the Educational Supervision Directorate in coordination with the National Center for Curriculum Development, based on unified and objective standards.

ANHA