“Our aim is to build a democratic society”

Teacher Ala Dawud stated that they educate students according to the Democratic Nation system in NE Syria while NE Syria University Co-Chair Rohan Mustafa noted that they aim to build a democratic society through education.

ROJ HOZAN

Qamishlo – Democratic education system prepares individuals for life by teaching them how to think freely, produce, protect human values, and become leaders and to love. This system consists of the preparatory stage for university, evaluation, research, project, and finally an exam stages. This democratic system is an alternative to racist systems and dominant mentalities in the Middle East. Students gain experiences in a democratic way and after their graduation, they use their experiences in their tasks and have a spirit of responsibility.

“Students are prepared for the future”

While the Democratic Nation system has opened academic departments for the next generations, it provides support to students so that students can enter university. Ala Dawud, a teacher in NE Syria, stated that the students are educated in many fields from the preparatory stage to the university stage. “First, we prepare our students for university so that they determine what they will study in the future,” she said.

“Our aim is to create strong personalities”

Noting that the tenth-grade students study all branches of science, Ala Dawud added that the students choose what to do in the future. Stating that the eleventh-grade students study geography, philosophy, history, mother language, and literature, Ala Dawud said, “They also study physics, chemistry, mathematics, society, and science. Our teaching methods with students are very ethical and conducted according to the grading system. We give students the opportunity to prepare themselves. Our aim in doing this is to create strong personalities.”

“All students have the right to education in their mother language”

Stating that they hold meetings with students, Ala Dawud said, “We evaluate the situation and inform the administration and families about the students. We want our students to gain experience with each other. The same system and materials are offered to Arab and Christian students and there is no difference among students, only the education language is different because we believe that all students have the right to education in their mother language. “

“Multiculturalism is important for us”

NE Syria University Co-Chair Rohan Mustafa told us that the Autonomous Administration has established many institutions and universities are the academic institutions established by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. Noting that their aim is to support the students to continue their education lives, Rohan Mustafa said, “Our aim in the establishment of the universities is not only to provide students the opportunity to continue their education but also to create alternative universities against the sovereign regimes. We refuse the monism because multiculturalism is important for us.”

“We can build a democratic society through education”

Stating that there is a co-presidency system in university administrations, Rohan Mustafa said, “We also attach importance to the student community consisting of a women's assembly and a general assembly, in which students express and participate in all aspects of the education process. We believe that we can build a democratic society through education.”

Tomorrow: Pioneer of the mother language revolution: Xaliya Ehmed