Assignment-Seeking Kurdish Teachers on Strike

Teachers - once anticipated to be the first Kurdish language teachers of Turkey - started an alternate hunger strike as they haven’t been appointed for 2 years. 

After Kurdish started to be taught as an elective course in 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th classes in September 2012, graduate programs in Kurdish Language and Culture were opened in some universities in order to fulfill the need of Kurdish teachers.

In 2013 and 2014, approximately 1500 students graduated from Mardin Artuklu University, Diyarbakır Dicle University, Bingöl University, and Muş Alpaslan University. 

Despite their struggle, primary teachers couldn’t be appointed in school years 2013-2014. 

They doubt if they are appointed this year. Therefore, for 3 days they are on hunger strikeby turns in Mardin Karayolları Park in order to be one of 40,000 teachers who will be appointed in September. 

Yunus Aslan, graduated from Turkish Language and Literature and finished his master in Kurdish Language in Mardin University  talked to bianet: 

“Relying on PM’s promises I studied in this department. We were supposed to be tenured in September 2013, but it didn’t happen. They were trying to find out a solution. However, they haven’t fulfilled their promises for 2 years. Many friends quit their job and moved from their city to another in order to study in this field. Now, everybody is victim.

“We demand our right that we have already gained. There are Kurdish courses in the curriculum for now. There are also teachers who can teach these courses. However, the courses aren’t held. Many headmasters prevent students to elect the courses by saying to their parents that there is no teacher. Very few student elected the courses take the courses from another teachers who can speak Kurdish. We demand that they fulfill their promise especially on these days of peace process,” he said.

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.