A call for a demonstration against the new school curriculum initiated and carried into effect by the AKP government was made by Alevi-Bektaşi Federation and the progressive educator’s union, Eğitim-Sen. The organizers invited people fighting for "secular and scientific education" and the demonstration will be held on September 17, in Kartal, İstanbul.
Organizations making the call has written a collective public statement in which they point out that the new curriculum is full with irrational superstitions. The statement says that people who are against this kind of education should come together in order to “raise their voice against the poisoning movement of the religious sects and cults whose names are known by child abuse”.
TKP INVITES PEOPLE TO THE DEMONSTRATION
The Communist Party of Turkey calls for participating to the September 17 demonstration in İstanbul. The statement made by the Communist Party says that the communists will be there to “raise the voices against the reactionary and privatization attempts in education system”. "We will get together for the right to secular, scientific and equal education", it adds.
Communists point out that while the AKP government makes agreements with reactionary foundations in whose dormitories students are sexually abused, private schools are made the only option for the parents who are worried about these incidents. “However”, it is added, “the progressive section of Turkey cannot be constrained by private schools and the working people will not be peaceful with and approve these attacks”.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE NEW CURRICULUM?
The final version of Turkey’s national school curriculum has left evolution out and added the concept of jihad as part of Islamic law in books, Education Minister İsmet Yılmaz said on July 18. Yılmaz also said evolution theory too 'complex' for schools.
'Information' on last year’s failed coup attempt will also be included in the curriculum, while it excludes Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, from the section "National Struggle". "When the subject of winning democracy is covered in social sciences classes, we will want the July 15 National Unity Day to be covered, too," Yılmaz said.
A week before the new academic year starts, the Ministry of Education has organised seminars for teachers, attempting to guide them in the coming year. In the geometry lessons, the teachers have been told to explain the geometrical shapes using an image of the 'July 15 Martyrs' Memorial' located on the Bosphorus Bridge in İstanbul, erected after last year's coup attempt. In all cases, moreover, teachers were "strongly advised" to use the theme of July 15 in their lessons.
