ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Some opposition to Kurdish-language education in Syria comes from neighboring countries, prominent Kurdish figure Mazloum Abdi said, days after Damascus ended full Kurdish-medium education in Kurdish areas of northeast Syria (Rojava).
"The issue of the Kurdish language is not only limited to Syria, but extends to several other countries, including its neighbors. Obstacles also originate from the outside, particularly from countries that have issues with the Kurdish language,” Abdi told Turkey's pro-opposition Ilke TV in an interview published on Friday.
He did not name any countries, but Turkey, Syria's neighbor and a key ally of the new government in Damascus, banned Kurdish for decades before restrictions were gradually eased after the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in the early 2000s. Kurdish was later permitted in broadcasting and private education, and Kurdish-language courses were introduced as elective subjects in some schools.
The Kurdish leader also said there are some parties within Syria opposing Kurdish education.
Abdi was appointed an advisor to the Syrian presidency in late August, days after the dissolution of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which he helped establish in 2015 to fight the Islamic State alongside the US-led global coalition.
The dissolution and Abdi's new role were part of an integration agreement with Damascus signed in January with international mediation following weeks of deadly clashes between the SDF and the Syrian army.
The Kurdish language has emerged as one of the most contentious issues between Kurdish authorities and Damascus as the two sides implement the agreement.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued Decree 13 in January, recognizing Kurdish as a "national language" and allowing it to be taught in public and private schools in areas with significant Kurdish populations. The decree also recognized Kurds as an integral part of the Syrian people and pledged to protect their cultural and linguistic identity.
The education ministry subsequently began preparing Kurdish-language curricula for all educational levels ahead of the 2026-2027 academic year.
In late August, the ministry issued new implementing instructions making Kurdish part of the approved curriculum in public and private schools in Kurdish-majority areas. Kurdish is to be taught for three classes a week, with students' grades counting toward their final scores, alongside one weekly activity class.
For the coming academic year, students will also be allowed to study subjects including social studies, history, geography and philosophy in either Kurdish or Arabic as a transitional measure.
The new system, however, ends the full Kurdish-medium education introduced by the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria more than a decade ago, under which Kurdish was used as the language of instruction across much of the curriculum.
The decision has angered many Kurds in Syria and triggered protests demanding that full Kurdish-medium education be retained.
Abdi welcomed the recognition of Kurdish in state schools, describing it as an unprecedented development in Syria's history, but said Kurds should continue their struggle for broader linguistic rights.
