Turkish schools to teach Georgian language

By Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

 

The Georgian embassy in Ankara said on Facebook that the Turkish education minister has approved the program for studies of the Georgian language in middle schools. “If 10 pupils wish to study the Georgian language, a 244-hour program of Georgian language studies will be initiated for grades 5-8,” says the embassy’s message.

Erdal Kucuk (Elizbar Tsimnaridze), the head of the Georgian culture center, the author of the documentary series “Caucasus Evening” about Georgia on the TRT channel, and Kevser Ruh (Ketevan Khantidze), a writer, sent a letter to Turkish Education Minister Omer Dincer. They asked the minister to start Georgian language classes after his speech in parliament when he proposed studying Georgian, Abkhaz, Laz and other languages of free choice. “Georgian is an ancient language with writing, and it would be fair if Georgians get an opportunity to study it,” says the letter. The Education Ministry responded swiftly.

Many in Tbilisi could not believe the information, it had been out of the question just 20-30 years ago. But times change, Turkey has been modernizing at tremendous rates. “Just a few years ago, when we arrived in one of the districts of Turkey’s Artvin, there was no university, now we have been shown how a whole university town and the university itself – the best in the region – has grown in an open field,” Professor Lali Uzugbaya of the Free University told Vestnik Kavkaza.

Approaches to language studies change but that does not mean that existing programs have no problems. “There is intrinsically no demand for the Georgian language, no demand for it in business, studies at a university, so not all Georgians wish to study it at schools,” Professor Kakha Gabuniya of the Tbilisi State University told Vestnik Kavkaza. “When people have an opportunity to freely pick a language for study, they pick European languages that are needed along with Turkish. This is natural, because it is a matter of the children’s future and the “weight” of every hour spent at school,” explains the professor.

Many older Georgians do not speak the native language themselves. So Georgian Ambassador to Turkey Irakly Koptaladze is very careful when he names the number of schools with Georgian language classes. In his words, there are about 2-3 schools with such programs in the eastern regions with more Georgian inhabitants.

One Turkish school has already received 25 requests for Georgian classes. According to the new rules, the school has to launch the program, hire teachers and give 244 hours of classes.

Interest in the Georgian language in Turkey is growing at an academic level too. Many Turkish universities have recently opened sub-departments for studies of Caucasus languages, including Georgian. They invite linguists from Georgia, paying enormous salaries. It is noteworthy that the Georgian language is studied as a subject at state school in Turkey. Concerning private school, they offer to finance the program, it has never been forbidden in the first place. But realization of the program in the private sector has been impossible. The government, however, has enough funds to finance it.

There is another side of the problem: more and more young people in Turkey wish to study in Georgian higher education centers. The number of students from the country is growing rapidly. Maybe they are attracted by the high-class science schools of academic specializations. Studying in Tbilisi universities requires knowledge of the Georgian language. Tamara Mosiashvili, an education expert, believes that “the program is a great opportunity to get basic linguistic knowledge for Turkish citizens planning to study at Georgian higher education centers.”

The Turkish Education Ministry makes advances for Georgian communityBy Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for Vestnik KavkazaThe Georgian embassy in Ankara said on Facebook that the Turkish education minister has approved the program for studies of the Georgian language in middle schools. “If 10 pupils wish to study the Georgian language, a 244-hour program of Georgian language studies will be initiated for grades 5-8,” says the embassy’s message.Erdal Kucuk (Elizbar Tsimnaridze), the head of the Georgian culture center, the author of the documentary series “Caucasus Evening” about Georgia on the TRT channel, and Kevser Ruh (Ketevan Khantidze), a writer, sent a letter to Turkish Education Minister Omer Dincer. They asked the minister to start Georgian language classes after his speech in parliament when he proposed studying Georgian, Abkhaz, Laz and other languages of free choice. “Georgian is an ancient language with writing, and it would be fair if Georgians get an opportunity to study it,” says the letter. The Education Ministry responded swiftly.Many in Tbilisi could not believe the information, it had been out of the question just 20-30 years ago. But times change, Turkey has been modernizing at tremendous rates. “Just a few years ago, when we arrived in one of the districts of Turkey’s Artvin, there was no university, now we have been shown how a whole university town and the university itself – the best in the region – has grown in an open field,” Professor Lali Uzugbaya of the Free University told Vestnik Kavkaza.Approaches to language studies change but that does not mean that existing programs have no problems. “There is intrinsically no demand for the Georgian language, no demand for it in business, studies at a university, so not all Georgians wish to study it at schools,” Professor Kakha Gabuniya of the Tbilisi State University told Vestnik Kavkaza. “When people have an opportunity to freely pick a language for study, they pick European languages that are needed along with Turkish. This is natural, because it is a matter of the children’s future and the “weight” of every hour spent at school,” explains the professor.Many older Georgians do not speak the native language themselves. So Georgian Ambassador to Turkey Irakly Koptaladze is very careful when he names the number of schools with Georgian language classes. In his words, there are about 2-3 schools with such programs in the eastern regions with more Georgian inhabitants.One Turkish school has already received 25 requests for Georgian classes. According to the new rules, the school has to launch the program, hire teachers and give 244 hours of classes.Interest in the Georgian language in Turkey is growing at an academic level too. Many Turkish universities have recently opened sub-departments for studies of Caucasus languages, including Georgian. They invite linguists from Georgia, paying enormous salaries. It is noteworthy that the Georgian language is studied as a subject at state school in Turkey. Concerning private school, they offer to finance the program, it has never been forbidden in the first place. But realization of the program in the private sector has been impossible. The government, however, has enough funds to finance it.There is another side of the problem: more and more young people in Turkey wish to study in Georgian higher education centers. The number of students from the country is growing rapidly. Maybe they are attracted by the high-class science schools of academic specializations. Studying in Tbilisi universities requires knowledge of the Georgian language. Tamara Mosiashvili, an education expert, believes that “the program is a great opportunity to get basic linguistic knowledge for Turkish citizens planning to study at Georgian higher education center