As the new pro-Islamist curriculum of Turkey's ruling AKP government is being heatedly debated, Turkey's Ministry of National Education announced the details of "education of values" to be given in primary and secondary grades as part of religion courses, local media reported.
The Provincial Directorate of National Education in Afyon district of Turkey sent a directive to school boards regarding the courses of "education of values" last week. In this directive, the name of the course was mentioned as "Values Operation", in a quite militaristic fashion.
According to this directive, the courses on "education of values" will not be given by the formal teacher, but by the designated "expert" of each subject. These subjects include "martyrdom, charity, austerity, spiritual purity, modesty, envy and the like".
These experts will be designated by a Supreme Board established by the Provincial Directorates of National Education. A coordinator from this board will organize an advisory board composed of writers, academicians and specialists of Religious studies. These experts from the advisory board will give seminars and conferences at schools and guide the courses on the education of values.
The directive also outlined that the activities to be carried out as part of the education of values will be announced at school boards, which will also portray poems, wise sayings and drawings regarding issues covered at the education of values.
This regulation has stirred a public debate that it will open new doors for religious cults and communities in education.
In late July, the Ministry of National Education also signed a 5-year protocol with Ensar Foundation, a government-backed religious foundation notorious for child abuse in its dormitories.
