DUSHANBE, February 5, 2011, Asia-Plus — The Ministry of Education (MoE) has removed the “Marifati Islom” (Knowledge of Islam) coursework from curriculum at Tajik high schools.
The source at a MoE says the decision to remove “Marifati Islom” from the school curriculum at the ministry board’s meeting in late January. “Under this decision, this coursework is removed from the curriculum for 2010-2011school year,” the source said. He refrained from giving further details of the decision.
According to him, the study of history of the Tajik people will be increased by one hour a week due to removing the “Marifati Islom” from school curriculum.
We will recall that the “Marifati Islom” course was introduced into school curriculum in September 2009.
The “Marifati Islom” textbook consists primarily of four parts: the history of Islam, Islamic principles, Islam”s stance on science and knowledge, and Islam”s role in Tajik society since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Some 400 Tajik literature and history teachers underwent special training from April to September 2009 and eighth graders were schooled in the subject just one hour a week.
