Students protest Greek decision to cut Turkish lessons

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA

Students from a Muslim religious school in northeastern Greece have boycotted the latest curriculum that has reduced Turkish language lessons and Islamic teachings at the school.

The Western Thrace region of Greece is home to a Muslim-Turkish minority of around 150,000 people.

In a video uploaded on the internet on Sunday, a representative of the students from Medrese-i Hayriye, a high school in Komotini, made a press statement and said they will continue the boycott until Monday.

However, if the officials do not respond to their demands they could extend the boycott, the representative said.

"The restriction on education in mother tongue and the restriction on religious education as part of the new curriculum, which arrived our school, must end as soon as possible," he stressed.

The decision by the Greek Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs published in Greek official gazette on Nov. 12.

The decision worried two Muslim religious schools in Western Thrace, one in Komotini and another one in Xanthi province.

According to the decision, students at the religious schools will not have any lesson in language in the final year of school.