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'ELECTIVE COURSES MAY BE ICE-BREAKER FOR ALL'
by Vercihan Ziflioglu
Hurriyet
June 19 2012
Turkey
The Greek school in Istanbul's Balat district. Hurriyet photo
Teaching Armenian and Syriac in Turkish public schools could help make
a contribution to Turkey's peace, members of the minority communities
have said in the wake of a decision to introduce elective Kurdish to
schools in the next academic year.
Some community members say Armenian and Syriac elective classes in
the state schools could be an icebreaker with the Turkish community,
while others say crypto-Armenians - an umbrella term to describe
Turkish people of full of partial ethnic Armenian origin who generally
conceal their Armenian identity from wider Turkish society - could
also learn their culture.
"Even though it is not enough, the step taken by the Turkish government
[to offer the Kurdish classes] was remarkable," said Etyen Mahcupiyan,
a columnist for daily Zaman. "Elective mother tongue classes will
help provide consensus."
Zakarya Mildanoglu, an editor for Armenian-Turkish weekly Agos, said
there were already schools providing instruction about the Armenian
language, but that elective classes could allow crypto-Armenians to
learn their own language, he said.
Å~^abo Boyacı, the founder of a Syriac website, said he was forced to
send his child to public school due to the absence of a Syriac school.
"My kids are having difficulties learning their mother tongue and
learning their own culture. An elective in our mother tongue has
provided a glimmer of hope for us. On the one hand, our children
will learn their own language and, on the other, Turkish children
will learn the different languages and cultures of Anatolia. This
contributes to dialogue and rapprochement," he said.
But Garo Paylan, an administrator from YeÅ~_ilköy Armenian Elementary
School, said consensus was impossible "until the way people look at
differences in Turkey are changed."
The Turkish government will introduce Kurdish elective lessons in
public schools in the next educational year as part of the ruling
party's effort to find a solution to the Kurdish question.
"Kurdish will be learned and taught as an elective lesson if there
are a sufficient number of students [demanding it]. This is a historic
step," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said June 13.
by Vercihan Ziflioglu
Hurriyet
June 19 2012
Turkey
The Greek school in Istanbul's Balat district. Hurriyet photo
Teaching Armenian and Syriac in Turkish public schools could help make
a contribution to Turkey's peace, members of the minority communities
have said in the wake of a decision to introduce elective Kurdish to
schools in the next academic year.
Some community members say Armenian and Syriac elective classes in
the state schools could be an icebreaker with the Turkish community,
while others say crypto-Armenians - an umbrella term to describe
Turkish people of full of partial ethnic Armenian origin who generally
conceal their Armenian identity from wider Turkish society - could
also learn their culture.
"Even though it is not enough, the step taken by the Turkish government
[to offer the Kurdish classes] was remarkable," said Etyen Mahcupiyan,
a columnist for daily Zaman. "Elective mother tongue classes will
help provide consensus."
Zakarya Mildanoglu, an editor for Armenian-Turkish weekly Agos, said
there were already schools providing instruction about the Armenian
language, but that elective classes could allow crypto-Armenians to
learn their own language, he said.
Å~^abo Boyacı, the founder of a Syriac website, said he was forced to
send his child to public school due to the absence of a Syriac school.
"My kids are having difficulties learning their mother tongue and
learning their own culture. An elective in our mother tongue has
provided a glimmer of hope for us. On the one hand, our children
will learn their own language and, on the other, Turkish children
will learn the different languages and cultures of Anatolia. This
contributes to dialogue and rapprochement," he said.
But Garo Paylan, an administrator from YeÅ~_ilköy Armenian Elementary
School, said consensus was impossible "until the way people look at
differences in Turkey are changed."
The Turkish government will introduce Kurdish elective lessons in
public schools in the next educational year as part of the ruling
party's effort to find a solution to the Kurdish question.
"Kurdish will be learned and taught as an elective lesson if there
are a sufficient number of students [demanding it]. This is a historic
step," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said June 13.