Expat students learning the Kurdish language in Sulaimani

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Expatriate students at the International School of Choueifat in the Kurdistan Region’s eastern city of Sulaimani are learning the Kurdish language as part of the school curriculum, creating a diverse learning environment in Kurdistan.

“I am in the first grade of primary school. I am trying to learn the Kurdish language, and I know the days of the week in Kurdish,” student Ahmed Mohammed told Rudaw.

Hamza Zain, another student, said he is “from Pakistan and in the first grade, and I like learning the Kurdish language.”

The Kurdish language is being taught as a core subject in Sulaimani, integrating students into the local culture from the first grade.

Some of the students learning Kurdish have been living in the Kurdistan Region for several years. Fourth-grade student Ian Kog, whose family relocated from Cameroon five years ago, told Rudaw, “I am from Cameroon. I live in Sulaimani, and I like the Kurdish language.”

Meanwhile, Mohammed Yahya, a student from Egypt, said he has been living in Sulaimani for six years. He added that he loves football and proudly owns Kurdish clothes, which his father bought for him.

Foreign staff members residing in the region also reported engaging with local traditions and culture.

“I am from Lebanon and I am a computer teacher. I have been living in Kurdistan for several years,” teacher Samara Jihad told Rudaw.

The initiative has brought together students and teachers from around the world, fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment in Kurdistan.