Pressure on Kurdish began with the notorious denial that claimed the “kart-kurt” sound heard while walking on snow was the origin of the word “Kurd,” a narrative that still lingers in collective memory. While the form of this denial has changed over time, its underlying mindset remains the same. Today, this ancient language is confronted with a more insidious process that presents it as a mere “option” in its own homeland and shifts assimilation into bureaucratic corridors. Although Kurdish is one of the ancient languages of Mesopotamia and the mother tongue of millions, it is being pushed into the position of a “guest” in its own home.
The lands of Mesopotamia are where civilisation, agriculture and the first words of humanity emerged. Kurdish and its dialects are among the most deeply rooted components of human life. Yet throughout the history of the Republic, the language was either officially recorded as an “unknown language” or denied altogether through fabricated theories. This policy did not only target the Kurdish language itself; it also sought to erase the collective memory of the millions who speak it. Today, although the old bans appear to have been lifted, Kurdish is being driven out of the public sphere and confined within four walls, reduced to a language spoken only at home.
In a village or city where almost the entire population is Kurdish, requiring a child to fill out a “preference form” in order to receive education in their own mother tongue is, in itself, a source of shame. While the mother tongue is a natural right that comes with birth, under this system it is turned into a “permission” granted by the state and presented to society as a gesture of benevolence and democracy. Looking at the origins of the elective course practice, it dates back to the period of the Oslo process in 2009 and the launch of TRT Şeş. Rather than responding to the growing social demand for education in the mother tongue at that time, the authorities opted to channel the issue into a more controllable framework by introducing the “elective course” model, without ever clearly stating who would be allowed to choose what. Instead of naming Kurdish directly, a broad and vague heading such as “Living Languages and Dialects” was preferred. Yet what society was demanding was for Kurdish to be recognised, in its own name and essence, as a language of education.
Although elective courses exist on paper, they have faced numerous obstacles in practice. In a system where students can choose from roughly 30 to 40 different subjects, the structure has effectively been designed to discourage the selection of Kurdish. From school principals to provincial and district directorates of national education, various administrative levels have steered families toward particular courses. Families have been especially encouraged to opt for classes with religious content. While students are entitled to choose three elective courses, the fact that most of these end up being religious subjects is no coincidence. One of the most serious problems has also been the lack of teachers. When families and students express a desire to choose Kurdish, they are often told, “There is no teacher to teach this course; even if you choose it, the class will not be opened,” and are directed toward other subjects instead. This has created a major barrier to the effective implementation of Kurdish as an elective course.
In recent years, a different obstacle has emerged with the introduction of a new classification system. Elective courses have been divided into three categories: academic subjects, arts and sports, and courses with religious content. Students are allowed to select only one course from each category. Kurdish has been placed within the academic category, alongside subjects such as applied mathematics, applied sciences and intelligence games, courses that families believe will boost their children’s performance in exams. This has placed families and students in a dilemma. Parents seeking to improve their children’s academic success are compelled to choose mathematics- or science-related subjects over Kurdish. In effect, the new system has made choosing Kurdish even more difficult.
Another widespread problem encountered in schools is the shortage of teachers. More than a thousand prospective teachers who graduated years ago from Kurdish studies departments at several universities are still waiting to be appointed. The total number of Kurdish language teachers appointed to date became clear through the government’s response to a parliamentary question submitted by the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). While 235 teachers have been appointed in total, the number of teachers currently actively teaching Kurdish as an elective course was given as 156. For years, families and students who wish to choose the course have been met with the response, “There is no teacher; even if you choose it, the class will not be opened.”
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