Tal Maarouf Students: our demand is to continue education in our mother tongue

Reactions opposing the Syrian transitional government’s decision concerning the Kurdish language continue. The decision stipulates that Kurdish language instruction be limited to only three classes per week. In this context, several students from the town of Tal Maarouf, affiliated with Tirbespiye, spoke to ANHA 's agency about their position on the decision and their demands regarding education in their mother tongue.

Student Rawda Mohammad said that, as students, they would not accept this decision under any circumstances. She pointed out that the decision is not easy for them because they have studied in their mother tongue for years and cannot now continue their education in another language.

Rawda stressed that they have the right to learn in their mother tongue and that this is their primary demand, expressing hope that the decision would be changed.

For her part, Aya Ahmad explained that they have been studying in their own language for years and that, after all these years, they cannot study in other languages. She stressed the need for education to be conducted in the mother tongue.

Aya added: “On behalf of all the students, I say that we will not accept this decision under any circumstances. To obtain our rights and protect our language, we will always be in the streets.”

Diala Yacoub expressed her rejection of the decision, saying that they are demanding that their mother tongue, Kurdish, be recognized as an official language in Syria and in all schools.

As for Sabri Mahmoud, he stressed that they are not opposed to learning other languages. He explained that they accept the teaching of other languages, such as Arabic, three times a week, but want the entire curriculum to be taught in Kurdish.

ANHA