Kurdish Language to Be Added to Syrian Public-School Curriculum

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - In a landmark decision Damascus has formally approved the teaching of the Kurdish language in public schools, a move officials describe as historic for strengthening national unity and acknowledging the country’s cultural diversity.

Mohammad Abdulrahman Turko, Syria’s Kurdish minister of education, announced that under Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2026, the Kurdish language has been officially incorporated into the curriculum of government-run schools across the country.

According to the minister, the decision represents a historic shift aimed at reinforcing national unity while respecting Syria’s diverse social fabric. He said the step reflects a broader commitment to recognizing the country’s pluralistic identity within a unified national framework.

In an official statement, the education minister stressed that the decision reaffirms Syria’s civic identity, which he said is founded on coexistence. He stated that approving Kurdish-language education constitutes a progressive step toward consolidating the cultural rights of Kurdish citizens as an inseparable part of the Syrian nation, adding that the measure demonstrates the state’s commitment to guaranteeing equal educational rights for all citizens without discrimination.

The announcement aligns with a broader political message delivered in Kurdish by Syria’s minister of foreign affairs and expatriates, Asaad Shaibani, who underscored the central place of Kurds within Syria’s national fabric following the issuance of Decree No. 13.

In a statement written in Kurdish on his official X account, Shaibani said Syria’s strength lies in the unity and solidarity of its people and their collective will to overcome challenges.

“The strength of Syria lies in the solidarity of its people, and with our unity we face all obstacles to build a free country that is spacious for all our dreams and hopes,” Shaibani wrote.

In a second message addressed directly to Kurdish citizens, he emphasized that Syrian national identity has always been inclusive and indivisible.

“Because the Syrian Identity has always been a unity for all its children, and the Kurdish brothers are a genuine pillar in this structure. They are from us and we are from them, and our future is one and indivisible,” he said.

Shaibani’s remarks came after Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued Decree No. 13 of 2026, formally affirming that Kurdish citizens are an essential and authentic component of the Syrian people and recognizing their cultural and linguistic identity as an integral part of Syria’s unified and pluralistic national identity.

Under the decree, the state commits to protecting cultural and linguistic diversity, guarantees the right of Kurds to revive their heritage and arts, and allows for the development of the Kurdish mother tongue within the framework of national sovereignty. The Kurdish language is recognized as a national language and may be taught in public and private schools in areas with significant Kurdish populations.

The decree also annuls all exceptional laws resulting from the 1962 census in Hasakah province, grants Syrian citizenship to all residents of Kurdish origin living in Syria, and guarantees full equality in rights and duties. It further designates Newroz, observed on March 21, as an official paid public holiday nationwide and obliges state institutions and media to adopt an inclusive national discourse that prohibits ethnic or linguistic discrimination.

Decree No. 13 was signed in Damascus on Jan. 16, 2026, and entered into force upon publication in the official gazette.

Syrian officials say the integration of Kurdish-language education into public schools reflects a broader vision of schools as national spaces that bring together all components of society, aiming to raise a new generation proud of its cultural diversity while remaining committed to Syria’s unity and shared future.