The Language of 17 M People Deliberately Marginalized in Turkey

Jan. 30, 2025

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdish Language Volunteers Union (DILKURD) has called on Kurdish students and their families in Turkey to select Kurdish as their preferred medium of instruction as the enrollment process for grades 5 to 8 begins.

The selection period, which allows students to choose their language of instruction, runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 12. Of 2025. In this context, DILKURD reiterated its appeal to Kurdish students and their families to ensure the preservation and promotion of the Kurdish language in the education system.

Speaking to Kurdistan 24, DILKURD Executive Director Mehmet Salih Ozturk emphasized the significance of this initiative, describing it as an essential step toward both language preservation and combating discrimination against Kurdish students.

“This is a crucial opportunity for Kurdish children to learn their language while also addressing issues of discrimination,” Ozturk stated.

The Turkish Ministry of Education previously reported an increase in the number of students opting for Kurdish as their medium of instruction in the 2024-2025 academic year compared to the previous academic year.

In June 2012, the Turkish government announced for the first time the adoption of a curriculum that includes the Kurdish language under the title "Living Languages and Dialects" as an elective subject for fifth and seventh-grade students, with two hours of instruction per week.

A report published in 2019, by the ruling party of Justice and Development Party, known as (AKP), says that the elective Kurdish language program aims to promote Kurdish culture and identity while adopting a global Kurdish perspective—provided that it does not incite hostility toward Turks. The curriculum includes references to historical Kurdish sites in Turkey, Iran, and Iraq, but notably excludes those in Syria.