Kurdish students in Hasakah Insist on their right to continue education in their mother tongue

September 7, 2026 - 09:10

Female students in Hasakah have once again voiced their determination to keep learning in Kurdish, pushing back against any plan that would cut their language classes down to just a few hours a week. For them, this is not a minor adjustment or a scheduling issue. It is a matter of identity and fairness, and they say the current proposal simply does not serve the needs of Kurdish learners.

The students argue that reducing Kurdish instruction to a token presence in the curriculum would weaken their connection to their language and culture. They point out that education is not just about passing exams or filling notebooks. It is about growing up with the ability to express yourself fully, to study history and literature in the words of your own people, and to carry that knowledge into the future with pride.

Several young women spoke about their experiences in the classroom, describing how learning in Kurdish has helped them feel more confident and more engaged. They said that when a subject is taught in a language you understand deeply, it opens doors. When it is limited, those doors start to close.

The students are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for what they believe is already theirs: the right to learn in their mother tongue, without compromise. They want the authorities to listen, to understand the importance of this issue, and to respond not with reduced hours but with respect for their language and their future.