BTTÖB: We Celebrate World Mother Language Day!
In the message issued by the Western Thrace Turkish Teachers' Union, attention was drawn to the problems experienced by Western Thrace Turks in the field of education.
In the message in which the demand of Western Thrace Turks for bilingual Turkish-Greek kindergartens was expressed, the Turkish Minority Primary Schools which were closed in recent years on the pretext of lack of students were also emphasised.
In the message published on the occasion of the World Mother Language Day, the demand for a school where disabled children from the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace can receive bilingual education was also expressed. The message also included the demand for Turkish minority teachers graduated from the faculties of education of Turkish universities to be employed in our primary schools.
The message issued by the Western Thrace Turkish Teachers' Union on the occasion of 21 February World Mother Language Day is as follows
"HAPPY INTERNATIONAL MOTHER TONGUE DAY!
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day in 1999. In order to promote international consensus, cultural diversity and multilingualism, various activities are held around the world every 21 February to draw attention to mother tongue. Mother tongue is primarily important in terms of communication between mother and child, expression of feelings and thoughts, and communication within the society. Apart from communication, mother tongue provides cultural carrier. Tales, stories, lullabies, folk songs learnt from the family and close environment are also passed on from generation to generation through the mother tongue. For this reason, it is important to learn the mother tongue and to be able to use it in daily life.
Mother tongue is the language that a person learns from his/her mother, family and environment without any rules and conscious learning process. It is then developed through oral and written education. It enables the person to comprehend the culture to which he/she belongs, to keep it alive, to carry it to the future and to enrich it. Each culture exists only with its own language and is meaningful with this language. It establishes the link between the person's past and future and carries the person to his/her own roots. It is decisive in the formation of one's identity and personality. It enables the person to understand the world, nature and his/her environment. Expressing one's thoughts with the deepest feelings and making sense of life is possible with the mother tongue. It is a scientifically proven fact that a person learns other foreign languages faster thanks to the mother tongue he/she has learnt and mastered.
Confucius says: "If you want to destroy a nation, start with its language".
When a person breaks away from his/her mother tongue, it means not only breaking his/her ties with his/her family and nation, but also breaking his/her ties with the world. It is impossible for nations that lose their languages to survive as a nation. The individual who breaks away from his/her mother tongue also breaks away from many national values. Mother tongue can be developed only through written language and education in that language. It is extremely difficult, even impossible, for peoples deprived of mother tongue education to develop their language, learn their culture and pass it on to future generations. The common findings of sociologists, psychologists, educators and all circles related to education are that people convey their feelings and thoughts best through their own language. It is also the consensus of all that the separation of children from their mother tongue is the greatest torture that can be inflicted on them! "He who loses his language loses his religion, his nationality, his personality.
For this reason, as the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, we demand bilingual Turkish-Greek kindergartens and we reiterate this demand at every opportunity. Forcing our children, who will receive bilingual education after two years, to receive education in one language in kindergarten is an outdated and imposing understanding. It is our desire that these schools, which will play an important role in the development of the mother tongue, be based on a curriculum based on development and enrichment as in primary schools. This is why we strongly oppose the closure of minority primary schools on the pretext of lack of children. The existence of these schools, which will develop our mother tongue in written language, is of vital importance. It is our wish that our minority children can easily have this opportunity in their environment and not through the transport system. We do not find it right for our children from minority primary schools to transfer to state schools for the reasons listed above. We want libraries or bookshelves to be established in minority primary schools that will enable our children to easily access age-appropriate books written in their mother tongue. We hereby once again announce to all authorities our demand for a bilingual school especially for children with disabilities. This school is a necessity. Leaving these special children, who can hardly understand what is said in their mother tongue, in the hands of an educator who gives commands in a language they have heard for the first time in their lives is an understanding that is far away from modern education. Turkish teachers who teach our children in their mother tongue should be provided with the opportunity to receive their professional training in Turkey and we expect the authorities to support this in good faith. We also wish that minority teachers who have graduated from the faculties of education of Turkish universities be assigned to work in our primary schools. With these feelings and thoughts, we once again celebrate World Mother Language Day!"
