The Religion Affairs Administration, which had previously determined the age for beginning to be educated on Koran as 4, has now decided to teach 3 year-olds Arabic. While CHP has been working on taking official action on the issue, Gündem Çocuk Derneği (Agenda Child Association) stated that ‘children are being inflicted ideology’.

Nursery school under Religion Affairs Administration now provides Koran courses to ‘3 year-olds’

NURCAN GÖKDEMİR

nurcangokdemir@birgun.net

AKP’s efforts for creating a ‘religion-based education system’, which was strengthened with its 4+4+4 system, continue in full-speed. Having lowered the age for starting to take Koran courses to 4 earlier, the Religion Affairs Administration will now be offering Arabic courses to 3 year-olds that attend the kidergardens under the Administration and the Religion Affairs Foundation. While first of such nurseries have opened within the complex of the Religion Affairs Administration in Ankara, other müftis have already began looking for ways to get involved.

‘The door to propitious generations’

The private Reyyan Nursery, which has been established as a joint projects of the Religion Affairs Administration and the Religion Affairs Foundation, has began its first academic year this year. Having been introduced as the ‘door to propitious generations’, the school has been given the name ‘Reyyan’, which means ‘the door to the heaven where only those who fast can go in through’. Built within the complex of the Religion Affairs Administration in Ankara, the school gives service to children between the ages of 3-6. The school was introduced to public as a ‘nursery school where primarily Koran courses and values education – along with some other courses such as English, music, and drama – would be provided.

Arabic for children as young as 3 years old

According to the information provided about the nursery, the children will be observed for two months. After that, each child will be placed in a course suitable with her/his talents. In addition to ‘attention building’ courses, there will also be lessons on nature, kitchen work, sciences, fine arts, intelligence building games, along with language (Arabic and English) sessions.

While it had previously been reported that over 55,000 children of ages of 4-6 were placed in Koran courses, this new approach where 3 year-olds will also be placed in these courses has also caused reactions.

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‘The children’s minds are being formatted’

Commenting on the opening of this new nursery school, CHP Eskişehir MP and representative at Parliamentary Committee on National Education, Youth and Sports, and Culture Prof. Dr. Gaye Usluer said: “So, the private Reyyan Nursery School has begun providing education; and, the Ministry of Education that is under OHAL (state of emergency) is asleep. The Religion Affairs Administration has literally become the new ‘Religion Education Ministry’. All the while, the Ministry of Education is so content about all this that it says nothing! Pre-school education is so important; this education, which involves education of children that are 36-66 months, must be mandatory and free. And, of course, it must be provided based on the realities with regards to ‘pre-school psychology.’ Imposing a religion-based education on children beginning at age 3, by ignoring the years-long observations, experiments, and conclusions of scientists, is nothing but an archaic mindset and approach. What is being wanted is to be able to infuse into children’s minds abstract concepts and to format their minds, which are our future, in an archaic manner.”

Who will be included in the project?

Another important point with regards to this new school is ‘with whom the Religion Affairs Administration will be doing this.’ It has been announced from the website of the Administration that they will be ‘interviewing potential women teachers for the Koran course; and, those who hold a ‘pre-school certification given by Public Education Centers’ and those who are experts in the field will be placed as teachers after a week-long training.’ This is same as saying ‘give in the young brains to the ignorant and incompetent people and they would install their own ‘inside the box’ views into the pure minds of the youth.” It is also impossible to see that these kinds of course will also be new fields of employment for the Islamists. We are going to monitor this; and, we are going to refer to legal action to prevent these mistakes.’

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‘Adults and state officials imposing their ideology on children’

Emphasizing that giving any kind of education based on ‘abstract concepts’ to children at pre-school ages, Ezgi Koman from Gündem Çocuk Derneği said the following: “Religion-based education for children at pre-school ages is actually a violation of children’s rights; because, children’s skills of ‘abstract thinking’ develop after the ages of 11 and 12. Excessive abstract concepts, such as the ones included in religious programs, causes children of ages 3-6 to go through major confusion. It harms their confidence and it creates fear, stress, and worry.

Although it is claimed in the introductory texts of these schools that the education they provide will have the child as the focus; be based on analysis; and, encourage learning through experimenting, the Koran course for this age group is in itself a program based on ‘memorizing’; therefore, it will not be possible to have an analytical approach. Lessons based on ‘memorizing’ such as the ones as the Koran courses would be a very heavy burden for the children. It would hinder their sense of success.

What needs to be asked here is this: why was it felt necessary for this kind of a religion-based nursery school to be opened? Actually, we know the answer to this. As usual, the adults and the state see children as ‘objects’ onto which they impose their own ideologies. Seeing kids objects means for them to be used by adults; and, that is a violation of rights of the children.”

Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/kuran-ogrenme-sirasi-3-yasindakilere-geldi-129694.html