Minister Tekin's response on 'mother-tongue education': 'No other language can be taught'

During the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) Planning and Budget Committee deliberations on the Ministry of National Education's 2024 budget, Minister Yusuf Tekin responded to questions from members of parliament. 

According to a report by Namık Durukan from T24; in a written response to the question, "What have you done for mother-tongue education?", Minister of National Education Tekin stated, "Article 42 of our Constitution states that 'No language other than Turkish shall be taught as a mother tongue to Turkish citizens in any educational and training institution.' In this context, educational and training activities continue in Turkish."

"THERE ARE ELECTIVE COURSES"

However, noting that there are language opportunities through elective courses, Tekin said, "Students who wish to do so are provided with the opportunity for language instruction by selecting courses from our elective course pool in Laz, Zaza, Kurmanji, Bosnian, Albanian, Georgian, Adyghe, and Abkhazian languages. Furthermore, education in the Kurdish language can also be received in courses opened at private educational institutions."

Minister Tekin also responded to the question, "Will your Ministry have any initiative to provide mother-tongue education opportunities in Kurdish in regions where Kurds live in the majority?" by again citing Article 42 of the Constitution.

News Source: 12punto