Derbasiyah youth call for constitutional recognition of Kurdish

In protest against the transitional government’s decision to limit Kurdish-language instruction to three classes per week, youth in the city of Derbasiyah issued a statement on Wednesday calling for the decision to be reversed and for the Kurdish people’s right to education in their mother tongue to be guaranteed. This coincided with teachers and students at Martyr Perwer Zilan School expressing their rejection of the decision and reaffirming their right to education in Kurdish.

The youth statement was read in front of the Youth Center in the city by members Fatima Sheikhou and Raman Hassen, in the presence and participation of members of civil institutions and councils in Derbasiyah.

The statement stressed that the Kurdish language is not a marginal subject or a secondary activity, but represents the language, identity, culture and history of an integral component of the Syrian people. It noted that Syria’s 2025 Constitutional Declaration provides for the protection of cultural diversity and the cultural and linguistic rights of all Syrians.

It also said that Decree No. 13 of 2026 recognizes Kurds as an integral and constituent part of the Syrian people and their cultural and linguistic identity as part of Syria’s national identity.

The statement considered the restriction of Kurdish-language education inconsistent with the principle of protecting cultural and linguistic diversity.

It called on the transitional government to reverse its decision to limit Kurdish-language instruction to three classes per week and guarantee students’ right to learn their mother tongue at all levels of education.

It also called for constitutional recognition of the Kurdish language and protection of the right to learn, teach and use it in areas where Kurds constitute the majority.

In the same context, teachers and students at Martyr Perwer Zilan School in Derbasiyah expressed their rejection of the decision to reduce Kurdish-language instruction in a statement read inside the school by teacher Media Fawaz. They stressed that learning in the mother tongue is a fundamental right and that Kurdish students have the right to learn their language and to read and write in it.

The statement reaffirmed their commitment to the right to education in Kurdish, stressing that building a new Syria requires recognizing its components and protecting their rights on the basis of equality and partnership. It added that respecting the Kurdish language strengthens Syria’s diversity, justice and equal citizenship and does not pose a threat to the country’s unity or stability.

ANHA