On October 28, hundreds of students marched in the city of Dêrik to protest the education policy of the Syrian transitional government, moving from the school administration to the regional administration seat. The demonstrators are demanding the constitutional recognition of Kurdish and the fundamental right to be educated in their native tongue.
Strategic Implications for Autonomous Governance and Markets
- Regulatory Pressures: The HTS-led government’s restrictive new laws targeting Kurdish-language instruction threaten the educational institutions.
- Labor and Economic Disruption: Ongoing student boycotts and teacher strikes across Qamişlo, Til Temir, and Dirbêsiyê signal broader resistance.
- Structural Integration: Plans by the Syrian Higher Education Council to subordinate Rojava and Kobanê universities under state entities like Aleppo and Al-Furat universities create operational uncertainty.
Dêrik Students Demand Constitutional Recognition
The demonstrations in Dêrik follow a wave of regional opposition sparked by a recently enacted law by the HTS-led government in Syria. This legislation restricts Kurdish-language instruction in schools. For the demonstrators, learning in one’s mother tongue is a natural right.
The protests began in late September in the community of Zirgan near Serêkaniyê, organized by the PYD youth organization. Protesters marched with banners declaring slogans such as I will speak, read and write in Kurdish
and We have started in Kurdish and will continue in Kurdish
. These actions quickly galvanized communities across northeastern Syria.
Classroom Boycotts Spread Across Northeast Syria
Within days of the initial mobilization, protests erupted in Qamişlo, Til Temir, and Dirbêsiyê. In Girkê Legê and Rimêlan, students initiated strikes by boycotting classes. Educators and other workers joined the student base on the demonstrations and strikes.
During the final rally in Qamişlo, participants emphasized that their demands carried no hostile intent toward other languages. Instead, they framed native-language instruction as a natural right. By October, the movement reached Kobanê, where students marched under the banner Our language is our existence.
| Location | Form of Action | Core Demand |
|---|---|---|
| Dêrik | March to Regional Administration | Constitutional recognition of Kurdish |
| Girkê Legê & Rimêlan | School Boycotts and Strikes | Constitutional recognition of Kurdish |
| Qamişlo & Kobanê | Mass Demonstrations | Constitutional recognition of Kurdish |
Higher Education Integration Threatens Regional Autonomy
Beyond primary and secondary schooling, higher education institutions in the region face structural dismantling. Students at the universities of Rojava and Kobanê are actively resisting a decision by the Syrian Higher Education Council.
The directive mandates the integration of these regional institutions into the state-run Al-Furat University and the University of Aleppo. This administrative shift threatens to lead to restrictions at the admission of new students for individual courses.
The Collapse of Regional Self-Administration
These scholastic protests unfold against a backdrop of sweeping political shifts. Following the power consolidation of the HTS militia in Syria and the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian army, the situation for Kurds living in Syria is escalating. With the extensive lifting of the self-administration of the Kurdish region Rojava in August, the Kurdish movement is in a fight for the maintenance of certain autonomy claims. That concerns military structures like the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), but also the question of national identity.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
