Qamishlo_ Teacher and student held a demonstration at al-Qutayba School in Qamishlo on Wednesday to protest a decision limiting the teaching of the Kurdish language to three classes per week.

The protest came after an Aug.27 decision that Kurdish education and students say restricts the teaching of their mother tongue. Demonstrators called for Kurdish to be formally recognized and protected in Syria’s constitution.

A statement was read during the demonstration by teacher Rojîn Mûse, who said the Kurdish community had experienced decades of discrimination and persecution.

“"We have the right to learn our mother tongue, like other nationalities and communities," Mûse said. "We are not against any other language. Rather, it is our duty to protect our language because it carries our history, our culture and our presence on our land."

The statement alson called on the authorities and other concerned parties to listen to the demands of Kurdish students and teachers.

“We want to live in peace, not with humiliation, while we are on our land and among our people,” Mûse said.

The protesters said they opposed what they described as restrictions on Kurdish-language education and called for the language to guaranteed in Syria’s constitution.