Ibodullo Kalonzoda, imam-khatib of the Nouri Islam Mosque in Khujand, has proposed to make Islam the mandatory study in secondary schools. He noted this at a roundtable entitled “Countering Terrorism and Extremism – the Main Factor of Creation of Democratic and Rule-of-Law Society” that took place in the northern city of Guliston on July 2.
Organized by the Ministry of Justice and the Civil Society Office Public Association, the meeting brought together representatives of the law enforcement authorities, public associations, Sughd departments for youth, family and women’s affairs, and media.
In statement made at the meeting, Mr. Kalonzoda noted that his proposal to make Islam as the mandatory course aimed at preventing misunderstanding of Islam among young people.
Speaking at the meeting, the deputy chief of the department for combating terrorism and extremism at the Interior Ministry’s office for Sughd province, Gholib Qodirov, noted that more than 80 women and 80 minors from Sughd province were currently in Syria.
Speaking at a meeting with regional administrators of Sughd province in Khujand, President Emomali Rahmon on June 29 called on the Sughd regional authorities to intensify fight against crime and phenomena such as terrorism and extremism. The head of state noted that some 8,700 crimes, including 500 crimes related to terrorism and extremism, have been solved in the province over the last year and the first five months of this year. Criminal proceedings have been instituted against 715 residents of Sughd; most of them are residents of Isfara, Istaravshan, Asht, Spitamen, Khujand, Panjakent, Jabbor-Rasoulov, Konibodom, Mastchoh, Zafarobod, Buston, Istiqlol and Devashtich, the president noted.
Rahmon pointed to the necessity of intensifying explanatory work among youth in order to prevent radicalization of young people. He also urged local law enforcement authorities and parents to return young people studying at religious schools abroad illegally or illegally participating in foreign armed conflicts home. Rahmon reminded them of the fact that the government pardons Tajik foreign fighters who voluntarily leave the jihadist group.
Recall, “Knowledge of Islam” became mandatory study in Tajik schools in 2009 and eighth graders were schooled in that subject one hour a week.
The authorities noted that time that the program was partially aimed at preventing the country’s young from seeking information about their religion “elsewhere.” However, the “Knowledge of Islam” subject was suspended in 2011 and hours of the “Tajik Literature” and “History of Tajikistan” were increased.
In 2015, the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) introduced “History of Religions” as compulsory coursework in Tajik schools in 2015. Ninth graders are schooled in the subject just one hour a week.
