Kurdish elective courses: There are students but no teachers

  • actual
  • 11:16 20 February 2024
  • |
img
ŞIRNEX - While thousands of students applied for Kurdish elective courses, only 132 teachers were appointed in 12 years. Kurdish Teachers' Initiative Spokesperson Emin Ay said: "We must make a loud demand for education in the mother tongue."
 
Actions and events within the scope of 21 February World Mother Language Day activities were started. Demands for Kurdish to be an education and official language come to the fore in protests and events. However, the demands are not met and teachers are not appointed for Kurdish, which is among the elective courses in schools. The Ministry of Education announced that it will appoint 50 Kurdish teachers this year under the name of "Living Languages and Dialects". According to the data of associations carrying out Kurdish language studies; Only 132 Kurdish teachers have been appointed in the last 12 years.
 
In the 2022-2023 academic year, 24 thousand 368 students chose Kurdish. However, it was not announced how many students chose Kurdish this year. Considering these preferences, it is stated that the number of teachers appointed is very low.
 
ASSIMILATION POLICIES
 
Kurdish Teachers' Initiative Spokesperson Emin Ay emphasized that Kurdish must be embraced. Pointing out that Kurdish, which is given as an elective in schools, is not officially accepted, Ay said: "For example, you cannot write in Kurdish when writing an official document. You cannot speak Kurdish to state officials, even those who speak Kurdish speak by taking the initiative themselves."
 
Pointing out that the state does not have a "positive policy" towards Kurdish, Ay said: "Kurdish is not a language known in the parliament. Many Kurdish theaters and concerts have been banned so far. Bans on Kurdish language, culture and art are nothing new and they will continue to do so. The reasons for these bans is assimilation policies. However, there is also a resistance against these attacks. This makes art, culture and language stronger.”
 
'FAMILIES ARE BEING BLOCKED'
 
Stating that many teachers changed their fields due to the pressure on Kurdish, Ay noted that school administrations prevented families from choosing Kurdish. Ay said: "According to the statistics we have, only 120 teachers were appointed from 2012 to 2023. However, many of these teachers who were appointed with a master's degree in the first years changed departments. There are 79 active Kurdish teachers left. There are many reasons why there are so few of them. One of them is the families' indifference to the language. This situation shows that politics is not interested and this has an impact on families. School administrations do not give selected course forms to families. In fact, when they do, they choose and teach some courses. Unions and teachers are indifferent to the subject and do not raise their voices against the injustice of school administrators.”
 
DEMAND FOR EDUCATION IN MOTHER TONGUE
 
Noting that there will be an increase in the number of appointments of Kurdish teachers if families are insistent, Ay said: "Parties, cultural and artistic institutions, media and unions must unite. We must demand loudly for education in the mother tongue. This increases the prestige of the language. In other words, in order for the language to develop and be effective, children must receive education in that language. Two hours a week is too little. We can defeat all attacks by embracing our language. We must live in Kurdish in every field."
 
MA / Zeynep Durgut
 

View More Articles

25/04/2025
16:29 Youtube bans 'Kurdish Resurrection' documentary
16:23 IHD 2024 report: At least 7 thousand 431 rights violations in Kurdistan
15:40 One thousand 249 violations in 17 prisons in 3 months
15:17 DBP and DEM Party delegation met with Ilham Ahmad
14:54 Report on 9 prisons: Abolish Administrative and Monitoring Boards
14:39 Baloch protest in 20 cities against torture in prisons
14:21 Call for tomorrow's march of Platform for Combating Drugs
12:26 Kurdish Conference in Qamishlo starts tomorrow
11:51 Families applies to go to İmralı
11:47 We have hope even if it is weak says Sırrı Sureyya Onder's doctor
10:58 Citizens staying outside all night: Gathering areas insufficient, we are not safe
10:10 Successive earthquakes continue in Istanbul
09:47 Abdullah Öcalan's position must be legally secured says lawyer Ozen
09:21 Same question after every earthquake: Are we prepared for earthquakes?
09:18 It's time for Öcalan to be free says socologist Michael Löwy
09:15 My son must be release says mother of ill prisoner Akpinar
08:29 4.5 magnitude earthquake in Kütahya
24/04/2025
16:46 Treatment of ill prisoner Demir prevented
16:09 We were told that steps will be taken regarding isolation says Sezai Temelli
14:56 Call for 'Freedom for ill prisoner Yanik'
14:45 Daughter of ill prisoner Cam: His condition is bad, he must be released urgently
14:44 Statement after meeting: Öcalan's conditions must change without any buts
13:24 Turkish attacks continue despite ceasefire
12:04 Lawyers applies to meet with Abdullah Öcalan
12:04 Mazloum Abdi and Ilham Ahmad met with Nachirvan Barzani
11:46 Solution lies in Abdullah Öcalan's road map says mother whose son disappeared
11:21 DEM Party and Ministry of Justice meeting starts
11:01 'Execution law should be regulated for ill prisoners'
10:22 9 years undiagnosed prisoner's teeth fall out
09:38 Important meeting in Hewlêr
09:38 Students detained in Ankara release
09:37 Öcalan's proposals are the key to peace and a universal value says Maurizio Acerbo
23/04/2025
13:56 DEM Party delegation to meet Minister Tunc: Which agendas are on the table?
13:46 6.2 magnitude earthquake in Marmara Sea
13:24 Application for release of ill prisoner Cam
09:47 Equal citizenship, freedom of belief and peace demand Alevis
09:21 National Sovereignty and Children's Day in shadow of deaths and violations
09:15 She lost a son, another PKK member: One side peace impossible
22/04/2025
16:41 Condolence for Gulsun Tan
16:34 Onder's treatment on its 7th day: Visits from Bar Association and different circles
14:34 Prisoner Cam sent back to prison after heart attack
14:27 Mazloum Abdi announces date for Kurdish National Conference
13:51 Parties close to reconciliation in Tishreen
13:12 Kurdish Journalists' Day: We are heirs of 127 years of resistance
12:52 Lawyers applies to meet with Abdullah Öcalan
12:46 Citizens point to Parliament for solution
11:20 Struggle for peace and democracy should not be placed on shoulders of Kurds says Erdogmus
10:47 No release despite Constitutional Court ruling
10:05 Prisoners continue hunger strike against well-type prisons
09:24 6 members of family killed in clashes: If state sincere, it should take steps