Kurdish education in the Afrin region began to be provided right after the first phase of the revolution, in 2011.

Back then Kurdish education was actually provided by young people in houses and villages; now, seven years on, Kurdish education is a system from primary school to Rojava's first university.

From 2011 to 2018, great steps have been taken to develop the education process in Afrin.  Before the invasion of Afrin, there were 50 thousand students.

Members of the KPC-Democratic Administration told ANF how they were giving Kurdish language lessons secretly in houses and how the Kurdish education system was slowly coming to life.

We were ashamed of our Kurdishness

Rêgaz Hemo, a high school student who studied in Baath schools until the 6th grade and then continued in the Kurdish education system, recalled: “During the regime, schools were following a very strict system. In particular, the beatings and curses of the teachers broke the will in children.

It was forbidden to speak Kurdish at school, but we were children and we were speaking Kurdish in our homes. I didn't know what that ban on language meant. That's why I was talking Kurdish with my friends during breaks. They then complained to the teacher. It was so degrading when the teacher beat me and swear at me that I was ashamed of my own Kurdishness.”

The revolution changed things, for the Kurdish language too

With the revolution, though, things changed.

“The Kurdish language - said Hemo - began entering in schools. We started a new process in the life of Kurdish students. I had a little trouble at first. Because passing from one language to another is challenging. But it was the fact that we were studying in Kurdish, which allowed us to overcome these difficulties. As Kurdish children, being part of this process generated great enthusiasm. I didn't want to come out of school. I kept demanding more and more.

Not only a change of language

Teachers' approach towards us was very different. They treated us like friends would, like a mother would. When we had a problem, we could comfortably share this with our teacher. We were able to say our opinion very freely. What changed was not just the fact that we were now learning the Kurdish language. Method, thinking style, approach; everything had changed.

Learning style changed. Dogmatic style was abandoned. When we switched to secondary education, we started to see new and different lessons. None of the courses we were giving now, were given under the regime system. As a young woman, we were introduced to Jineology classes. This had very obvious effects. It helped us to better understand our responsibilities. We started to learn the history and geography of Kurdistan. In a system of our own, it was of great enthusiasm for us to know our own history and ourselves. With this system, our love for our language was increasing. Equality was ensured in schools.

The Turkish State attacked our model

The Turkish state wanted to break this new determination and strength we had created and launched the invasion attacks on Afrin. They wanted to eliminate the model that was an example for humanity and had been created in Afrin. For this reason the attacks on Afrin were barbaric. They attacked our schools, ransacked them.

We resisted and kept the school going

The first month after we left Afrin was very difficult for us. There was once again this experience of having to leave and reunite our own school and books. When I saw a book, something was breaking inside me.

A month later, we regrouped and our schools were opened. Even though it was in tents and houses that were destroyed, or even if the school in which we were studying now was a child prison, we managed to turn that prison and torture center into an education centre.

We kept our schools going with great resistance. Of course there are difficulties; we don't have books, the places we are studying in are rundown, but the determination and the spirit that we created give birth to more resistance.

We want to let the world know that the people of Afrin are dependent on their own language and culture. These schools we opened today and our continuing education show that the Turkish state has not reached its goal.”

I could not accept the system

Siyabend Feqi studied in the Syrian regime schools for five years and participated in the Kurdish language education in the houses.

For this reason the regime did not stop putting pressure on the family. Now he is one of the thousands of Afrin students studying in Shehba. Feqi told what he experienced: “We were always imposed to behave according to their systems. But we could not accept it. I was in the folklore group at that time. Together with my friends, we went to celebrations and weddings. My teacher heard this. He called me and beat me up, and he said I would never play again. It was heavy for me.

We began studying Kurdish in houses

With the revolution, the Kurdish language education began in Afrin. At that time the schools were teaching in Kurdish. Before we were studying Kurdish in secret houses. We were going to our neighbor's house and secretly studying there. Because the regime's pressures at that time were too much. They arrested my father when they found out that I had learned Kurdish. Nevertheless, I did not give up. I kept studying and learning. I resisted all the difficulties and I managed to overcome them. There was only one teacher in our village. He taught us invaluable things. Thanks to him, we have learned our native language and got to know our culture and ourselves. Later, with the development of the revolution, Kurdish schools were opened. Now we have our own schools in our province, and we began to learn our history and geography. When I reached the 9th grade, I became aware of the strength and determination I had.

Until the Turkish attacks

We had to move to the Shehba area when the occupying Turkish state attacked Afrin with all kinds of heavy weapons. Now we continue our resistance in Shehba. We continue our education here. Neither the Turkish state nor the regime can prevent us from studying in our own schools.”

We learned our Kurdishness

Cemile Mihemmed, a high school student who said to have learned to be Kurd and about the existence of Kurds with the revolution, said similar things about the regime period. From 6th grade onwards, Mihemmed started to study in Kurdish.

“Of course, after having studied in a language, moving to another language comes with  some difficulties. I have never seen those difficulties as an obstacle for myself. Because it was my own language. Now students in 6th grade learn a lot of subjects. Back then we could only learn Kurdish. After the beginning of secondary school, the number of courses increased. We started to learn our own history and geography. We learned that the reality of Kurdistan is that we are Kurds and we are educated within a paradigm.

Importance of other languages

When education in the Kurdish language began, other languages ​​were not removed. Arabic, French and English were also taught. We moved from a beating, profanity and humiliation system to a completely different system. In this new system, the most important thing was equality. Our teachers were very good to all of us and we were equal to everyone else.

When we were on mid-term holidays, the Turkish state attacked Afrin. They attacked our schools.

35 of our friends fell martyrs in the attacks carried out by the Turkish state. We had to get out of Afrin. Nobody thought we'd regroup after we came to Shehba. Yet, both our communes and councils organized themselves and opened schools.

The school we are studying in now used to be a prison where young people were placed during the Baath period. We turned this place into a place of learning and light.

We turned the dark torture chambers into rooms full of light.

We're studying in high school now. We learn very valuable subjects. The Turkish state thought it could impose its mentality to Afrin and win Afrin. Yet it was mistaken. We will beat this bullying and slavery mentality.” 

Part I of this feature can be read here