Reduced Kurdish-Language classes affect students in Rojava

Reactions against the decision to reduce Kurdish-language instruction in schools continue. Aldar Faris, a Kurdish-language teacher in the city of Derbasiyah, said students had been studying Arabic since first grade, yet many continued to struggle with speaking it even at the preparatory school level.

He pointed out that seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grade students who were accustomed to studying in Kurdish were finding it difficult to follow lessons delivered in Arabic. He warned that this was affecting their academic performance and said the students wanted to continue their education in their mother tongue.

He noted that Kurdish society includes doctors and intellectuals who have attained advanced academic qualifications despite Arabic not being their mother tongue. However, he stressed that this did not negate the difficulties students face when receiving education in another language.

He emphasized that preserving the mother tongue and defending younger generations’ right to learn and use it were a shared social responsibility.

Recalling the sacrifices made in Rojava over the past 15 years to secure rights, including the right to education in Kurdish, he stressed that the issue was not about positions but about ensuring education in the mother tongue and safeguarding cultural identity and existence.

Aldar Faris concluded by urging Kurds to prioritize teaching their children their mother tongue before other languages, describing it as fundamental to self-expression and preserving identity.

Meanwhile, Maya Mayish, a Kurdish-language teacher in Derbasiyah, said Kurdish-language classes had been reduced to three hours a week during the current academic year. Previously, students had received instruction in most subjects, including mathematics, history and social studies, in Kurdish, while Arabic was taught for three hours a week.

She explained that these changes had affected students’ morale and enthusiasm for attending school, with their motivation declining compared with previous years. Some high-achieving students had also encountered difficulties keeping up with their lessons.

She added that when asked why their academic performance had declined, students pointed to uncertainty surrounding the education system and the lack of textbooks.

Mayish called for Kurdish-language instruction to be restored to its previous level and for the right of all components to receive education in their mother tongues to be guaranteed, with due consideration for their linguistic and cultural specificities.

a.k

ANHA