Kurdish Education Will Be Provided for Three Class Hours Per Week at All Educational Levels in Syria

Syria's Ministry of Education and Teaching has issued a new regulation on teaching Kurdish in public and private schools in regions where Kurdish citizens make up a significant portion of the population. According to the ministry's decision, Kurdish will be included in the curriculum as a "national language" in these areas. Kurdish education will be provided for three class hours per week at all educational levels.

In addition to Kurdish, students will also receive instruction in Arabic and English, and the grade from the Kurdish course will be included in the student's final grade total. Additionally, one class hour per week will be devoted to an "activities" course. To ease the transition, the decision allows students in the first academic year following the regulation's entry into force to choose to take social studies, history, geography, and philosophy courses in either Arabic or Kurdish.

This option will apply only to that academic year. The National Center for Curriculum Development will prepare Kurdish curricula for all educational levels, and the activities course will be translated into Kurdish in accordance with an approved guide. Teaching staff for Kurdish courses will be assigned from existing personnel or through external appointments.

University or teacher training institute graduates who know Kurdish may be appointed as teachers. If needed, high school graduates who know Kurdish may also be appointed. To determine Kurdish proficiency, candidates will undergo written and oral exams administered by the Education Inspection Directorate in coordination with the National Center for Curriculum Development. The decision also states that Kurdish will be included in the curriculum as a "national language" in these regions, with three class hours per week at all educational levels.