Shingal — After the 2014 massacres in Shingal and the liberation of the Yazidi community, Kurdish schools were opened, and Yazidis receive their education in their mother tongue. Although Arabic is the official language of education in Shingal, Yazidi teachers have established many Kurdish schools to teach students in their mother tongue.

With schools closed and the summer break underway, teachers in the village of "Sardasht" organized a seven-day training course in communal life and jineology. This training was supported by the Yazidi Women's Freedom Movement and the Jineology Academy in Shingal.

Teacher Dalia Shenkali said they have been receiving training in komun (communal life) and jineology (women's science) for four days, adding: "This training is extremely important for us. Like other individuals and communities, we need education, especially in new subjects such as komun and jineology. Komun, as a way of life, is not far from our Yazidi community. But we lack the democratic aspect. We must be able to strengthen this aspect and build ways of living together so that we no longer need another authority or the state. Jineology is also very important for us as women to know ourselves better."

She expressed the importance of education with these words: "When we educate ourselves, we will be able to prevent many things. If we had been aware and learned earlier, the 2014 fermân (decree of persecution) would not have befallen us. Because educating ourselves also means self-defense."

She said: "We teachers are educating ourselves here as an integrated community. The children who come to us will one day become the leaders of this community. What we teach children will affect how they grow up. What we as teachers understand from this community, we will pass on to our community. Children are like blank pages; they accept whatever is presented to them. Therefore, it is very important that we understand ourselves and our community."

Education in the Mother Tongue... Preserving Existence

The mother tongue is of utmost importance for communities. In Shingal, Arabic is the official language of education. Teacher Dalia Shenkali points out the following regarding the mother tongue: "When we receive our education in another language, we learn its history, but if we receive our education in our own language and history, we preserve our existence. In this way, this education will reach our children, and our language and culture will be preserved. We do not receive education only in Kurdish, but we also receive education in other languages."

Teacher Dalia Shenkali concluded by saying: "More attention must be paid to community awareness programs. If we are not part of a cohesive community, we will not be able to define our identity, and there will be no alliance among us. If we establish our democratic communities, women will also gain their rights. Therefore, we women are in great need of these communities. We will start by educating ourselves, then we will teach our children. In this way, a conscious and educated society will emerge."

"Jineology Restores Women's Existence and History"

Teacher Jilan Suleiman also expressed her happiness at participating in the training: "Through communal life, we can help those in need in society. The existence of these komun means self-governance, which frees people from relying on others. In all the decrees issued against our Yazidi community, women were targeted. As a result, they were ignored, and their history was lost. We know from our history how many women resisted and stood against the enemy. We can also restore women's existence and history through jineology."