While education is restarting in Kobanê, Kurdish primary schools have now been opened in 6 tent cities in Suruç for children from Kobanê, with over 5 thousand children attending these schools.

In the tent cities set up by the Suruç Municipality education is being supervised by the Kobanê Education Commission, teaching the children Kurdish while also helping to distance the children from the psychology of war. Pervin Hemo (21), a teacher in the Şehîd Gelhat tent city, and Education Commission member Enwer Ömer (28), spoke to ANF regarding the new term.

Pervin Hemo said: “At first we started teaching in very poor conditions, but now things have settled down. We do not want the children to lose their right to education just because they are here.” Hemo said in the second term the children would have mathematics, environmental studies, literacy and music classes. He added that they were trying to ameliorate the effects of the conflict on the children and ensure they could experience their childhoods.

'Education will continue’

Enwer Omer said they had commenced education in Kobanê at the same time as in the tent cities, in October. He admitted there had been some problems due to the prevailing circumstances, but added: “Whatever the conditions, we pledged to continue educating the children. We are also preparing them and ourselves for the return to Kobanê.”

5,500 pupils

Omer said that 7 teachers were now working in Kobanê, while in Suruç 5,500 pupils were attending school. He added that all the schools in Kobanê had been damaged in the war and said they were expecting international support to enable the schools to reopen.