The AKP-MHP government, which has built its Kurdish policy on violence and repression in every area where Kurds live, with its war policies since it came to power, continues to abuse the Kurdish language and identity.

The AKP government, which made various promises before each election but embraced war policies again and again after winning it, announced last year that elective courses in Kurdish would begin in secondary schools. The government said that they will start these courses in Kurdish, so to end demands for education in the mother tongue, President Erdoğan said "We have solved the Kurdish problem, there is no such thing as the Kurdish problem anymore."

However, in the two years that have passed, it has been revealed once again that the AKP is not sincere about this issue and uses it only as election propaganda. In Van, elective courses cannot be given in Kurdish. A list of religious lessons is left in front of Kurdish children who request elective courses in Kurdish. The parents who applied for the course were told: "For now, our conditions are not suitable for this, apply again next year". Except for one school in Van, elective courses in Kurdish are not allowed in any other school.

Kurdish elective course only in one school

Speaking on the subject, Eğitim Sen Van Branch President Murat Atabay, said that the education trade union defends the right of the Kurds to education in their mother tongue. The union has pointed out the mistake of teaching Kurdish as an elective course from the very beginning. Atabay added that they also oppose the government's exploitation of this situation by making it an election propaganda issue. “Every time the AKP come out and make promises to society in this direction, they mislead people and do not implement what they promise. There are currently no elective courses in Kurdish in Van, except for one school.”

Noting that children are forced to take religious lessons despite their option for Kurdish classes at schools, Atabay said: “They impose compulsory religious preference classes. We have been following this issue for a long time. They offer  prepared lessons to the children and guide them by saying ‘Choose this, choose that’. Schools do not appoint Kurdish teachers and create obstacles to students’ choice. Children and parents who choose Kurdish are told that there are no conditions for running the course.”

Atabay continued: “Last year, we wrote to the Provincial Directorate of National Education and the Ministry of National Education. We warned them about the fact that there are pressures put on children to choose certain classes. Religious classes were imposed last year. The AKP government, the Governor's Office, the Provincial and District Directorates of National Education have made optional religious courses compulsory. Teacher appointments are made immediately. It is a very serious issue. We defend education in our mother tongue. We advocate mother tongue education, not elective courses. We will have a serious follow-up in the coming months.”