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

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. Members and teachers of Komîteya Perwerdeya Civakî ya Demokratîk (KPC-Demokratîk) explained to ANF the development and consolidation of Kurdish education in Afrin.

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.

Even before than the revolution in 2011, Zinar Eloş, one of the members of the KPC-Democratic Administration, remembers how he was giving Kurdish language lessons secretly in houses studies and education process. After the revolution started, in 2011, he continued to work on the development of the Kurdish education and now is working with the Afrin refugees in Shehba.

We began with four young people

Zinar Eloş remembers: “We were four teachers when we started this process. On 6 September 2011, a Kurdish school was opened for the first time in the village of Duraklı in Şera district, in Afrin.

Together with this we gave way to the establishment of Saziya Zimanê Kurdî (SZK). Groups were formed in each district and discussions were carried out with young people who could provide training.

We had very few teachers and we needed teachers. Between the years 2012-2013 we began to give three or four lessons per week in Kurdish in Arabic schools.

We could say that this marked what we can call the resurrection of Kurdish. Because for the first time, Kurdish language classes were actually given in schools and soon after Kurdish schools were opened for the first time.

This created great excitement in the people of Afrin. People began to know, love and learn their own language. In particular, children wanted to study in their mother tongue, but lack of teachers and material were still big problems. Despite these difficulties, we tried to train teachers so that they could in turn teach first, second and third year students. In this way, we slowly started to build our own system.”

Kurdish language revolution achieved

KPC-Democratic member, Berihan Mistefa, who has been involved in the Kurdish education process from the beginning of the revolution, recalled that they were studying in Arabic schools within the regime system, but said they were trying to start the process that would lead to the creation of a Kurdish education system.

“The Kurdish language revolution was carried out along with the Rojava Revolution. - said Mistefa - In addition to the school Martyr Fewzi opened in Shera, we managed to extend Kurdish language education to 7 more districts.

However, the number of teachers was insufficient. And no matter how hard we tried, we were not able to teach in Kurdish, we had no proper training for this. Which is why we started with undergoing education ourselves first. We established the SZK. Until that day, it had been necessary to persuade the community who up to then had been studying in Arabic.

In 2012, we had extensive discussions on language. Many students had been studying in Arabic until then, and therefore they were asking how it was possible for them to learn Kurdish from scratch. On one side we were persuading them and on the other we were going door to door in order to find ways to increase the number of teachers.

Academies began to be established

In this sense, we increased the number of teachers and formed groups; we started to train teachers to teach first, second and third year students. We needed our language academies for this. On this basis, in 2013, the Martyr Ferzad Kemanger Academy was founded. The education period in this academy was two months. 30 teachers were trained at every given course. The academy provided training in Kurdish language grammar and Kurdish literature. A total of 650 teachers were trained in this academy.

Alongside the first Academy, the Martyr Arin Mirkan Academy was founded. In this academy, more ideological trainings were introduced. The training would last first 10 days and then 15. The teachers went first to this academy and then continued their training at the Martyr Ferzad Kemanger Academy.

Needs for high education schools

As a result of the discussions between the SZK and the Rojava Teachers' Union, it was decided that a high school was needed for the further expansion and spread of the Kurdish language education.

On this basis, the Martyr Viyan College (peymangeh) was founded. This was a very important process for us because it was the first time that a college teaching in Kurdish was opened in Rojava.

In this sense it also made the name of Afrin quite well known. In addition, not only teachers but also other sections of society could be educated in this school. The process of 2012-2013 was important in order to create the training cadres and train them in their own specific subjects.

Despite all the difficulties and troubles, we have come quite a long way and the Kurdish education system is now accepted in the community.”

An education system with great tasks

Zinar Eloş stated that SZK began to expand slowly: groups were created thanks to the training provided, and that the number of teachers has been steadily increasing, he said.

“On the one hand, the training groups were formed, and on the other the academies were providing education and training.

All this meant we were slowly moving towards the establishment of a system. Two conferences were held in the formation process of the SZK. The first was held between 2012-2013. The education system was discussed at this conference. Not only teachers or linguistic institutions, but also many institutions in Afrin have participated in this conference.

In many of our works, we called the intellectuals' institution to join in because there were some moulds created within the state system and we wanted to break these patterns through discussions.

Our goal was not to create the Kurdish system in just one part or one canton: we wanted to establish a system that would cover the four parts of Kurdistan.

Kurdish education extended to 12th grade

SZK managed to established institutions in each district according to its own system, the administrations were determined and the work in this way started to become more organized.

Berihan Mistefa points out the need for conferences to achieve the creation of the system. Mistefa noted that the system was discussed at the first conference and a set of issues were discussed and measures for teaching.

Mistefa reminded the conference organised in 2015 as Rojava canton level.

“This conference - said Mustafa - converted the SZK into the KPC-Demokratîk. The work was expanded. With this conference, Kurdish education was extended from the 1st to the 6th grade as it was to the 12th grade. Of course, this was a very important step for Kurdish language. Yet, very important, we did not exclude other languages. In Kurdish schools, Arabic and English have been introduced since 4th grade. Likewise, in Arabic schools, Arabic was the only language until the third grade, and then from 4th grade, Kurdish and English education began. French was added to this system from the 7th grade.”

From Academies to High Education Schools

Zinar Eloş pointed out that three of the young people at the forefront of the creation of the new Kurdish education system were martyred in the war in Kobanê during the conference attended by over 170 delegates and which saw the participation of representatives from Shengal and Aleppo.

Zinar Eloş recalled: “We decided to go even further, as a way to pay tribute to these three friends. The Martyr Zozan Academy was opened.

Also, new faculties were opened in order to further expand the system: Agriculture, Computer, Mechanical and Literature departments were opened.

In the 2016-2017 process, these colleges have been growing. Since 2015, all our teaching materials have been in Kurdish. 400 teachers were trained at the Martyr Zozan Academy.

In this academy, courses in geology, philosophy, physics, chemistry, history, geography and biology are given. The teachers were educated to teach until the 7th and 12th grades.

We went further and we provided a university for those wanting to continue their education after the 12-year primary and secondary school.

It was the first Kurdish language university to open in Rojava. At this university, Kurdish Literature, Mechanics and Economics departments were opened.

The contribution of Maxmur Camp education system

“Of course, - said Zinar Eloş - this training system had been tried and developed in Maxmur Camp before. In this sense, many teachers from Maxmur also helped us in the process of creation of this system.”