KDC Expands Global Language Education

As part of ongoing efforts to preserve and develop the mother tongue in the diaspora, the International Federation of the Kurdish Language—in coordination with the Ministry of Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)—is conducting Kurdish language education through dozens of official physical centers and online classes worldwide.
Khalil Sharif, representing the International Federation of the Kurdish Language, detailed all aspects of this initiative, including the number of centers, start dates, student and teacher statistics, book distribution, and the mechanisms of online teaching for the new academic year.

Geographic Expansion and the Number of Educational Centers

Regarding the number and geography of the educational centers in the diaspora, Khalil Sharif noted that a significant portion of these centers is connected to the International Federation of the Kurdish Language through the Kurdistani Diaspora Confederation. Currently, more than 40 Kurdish language educational centers are operating systematically, distributed across over 30 different countries around the globe, where the process of teaching Kurdish language and literature takes place.

Variations in the Start Dates of the New Academic Year

Unlike the Kurdistan Region, where the academic year begins on a unified and fixed date, the start of classes in diaspora centers varies according to the host countries and their differing educational systems.

According to Khalil Sharif, some countries begin on August 15, while others start on September 1 or September 5. Even within a single country like Germany, the start dates vary from one state to another.

Because these centers are not affiliated with the host countries’ ministries of education but are instead supervised by Kurdish organizations and associations, the start of classes is generally scheduled between September 1 and October 1 worldwide.

Student Participation Levels and Diverse Demographics

The learners at the diaspora centers are not exclusively children; they include a broad segment of adults who previously lost the opportunity to learn due to life’s preoccupations and the hardships of earlier stages of exile.

Sharif emphasized that driven by a rising sense of national sentiment, many adults have now turned to learning how to read and write in Kurdish.

Simultaneously, a heartwarming phenomenon has emerged where native speakers of the Sorani dialect are eager to learn Kurmanji, while Kurds from Northern and Western Kurdistan (Rojava) who speak Kurmanji are attempting to learn Sorani.

As for the exact number of students, the figure is not static and continues to increase, as registration remains open from September through October and November.

Teachers: The Main Pillar and Volunteer Work

The number of teachers varies from one center to another. Some smaller schools have one or two classrooms with one or two teachers, while larger centers boast a staff of 30 to 35 teachers.

The vast majority of these educators had previous teaching experience in Kurdistan or are graduates of Kurdish language departments.

In the diaspora, they dedicate their time entirely on a volunteer basis, driven by a profound sense of national duty and the desire to preserve the identity of Kurdish children. The Federation views this sacred mission with the utmost importance and deep appreciation.

Coordination and Support from the Kurdistan Regional Government

The Kurdistani Diaspora Confederation has signed an official Memorandum of Understanding with the KRG Ministry of Education.

Khalil Sharif highlighted the prominent role of KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who enthusiastically supports the education of Kurdish children in the diaspora.

He also praised Minister of Education Dr. Alan Hama Saeed and Shifa Barzani, the General Supervisor of the Kurdistani Diaspora, for their preparation and continuous follow-up on this project.

Under this memorandum, the Ministry of Education has undertaken the responsibility of printing and delivering all educational textbooks globally.

Providing Curriculums in Various Dialects

Education in the diaspora is conducted in all three dialects: Sorani, Badini, and Kurmanji written in the Latin alphabet.

The Sorani textbooks follow the official curriculum of the Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Education, while the Badini curriculum is provided by the General Directorate of Education in Duhok.

As for Latin Kurmanji, which lacks an official curriculum in the Region, the Federation selected an elite curriculum used in the diaspora, and the Ministry of Education has fully assumed the task of printing and distributing it to all centers.

Online Education: An Opportunity for Remote Cities

For families and learners living in distant diaspora cities without access to a physical Kurdish school nearby, a robust online education system has been developed. This project launched in 2021, and last year, between 2,000 and 3,000 students participated.

For this year, registration remains open until October 1 via forms available on social media. The teachers for these courses are trained by the Ministry of Education and deliver their lessons live.

Teaching Methods and the Participation of Other Nationalities

After evaluating various platforms, “Zoom Meeting” was selected due to its simplicity and ease of use for students.

The lessons are broadcast live from the Immortal Barzani Educational Complex in Erbil, utilizing smart boards and advanced cameras.

Classes are divided into five different levels and scheduled according to global time zones (Europe, North America, Australia, and the Middle East).

For example, classes for Australia are taught at 7:00 AM Kurdistan time to align with the Australian evening. Khalil Sharif revealed that, alongside Kurds, foreign nationals such as Americans, Arabs, and Germans are also enrolled in the courses to learn the Kurdish language.

A Historic Perspective on Diaspora Language Preservation

Preserving the mother tongue in the diaspora has always been one of the greatest challenges facing the Kurdish community abroad.

Over the past few decades, waves of migration from various parts of Kurdistan have led the Kurdish diaspora to settle in Europe, North America, and Australia.

While the first generation of immigrants preserved their language, the threat of linguistic assimilation emerged deeply within the second and third generations—often due to the dominance of host country languages and the lack of official educational curriculums.

Previously, most efforts to teach the Kurdish language in the diaspora were confined to individual, partisan, or local community initiatives.

These efforts frequently suffered disruptions due to the lack of standardized books, budget shortages, and a scarcity of trained teachers.
The establishment of the Kurdistani Diaspora Confederation and the International Federation of the Kurdish Language, and their subsequent connection to official institutions in the Kurdistan Region, ushered in a new era of modernization and standardization for Kurdish language education abroad.

The implementation of modern technology and online education has not only solved the issue of geographic distance but has also created a vital linguistic bridge, reconnecting the new generations of the diaspora to their homeland and their national identity.