New protocols enable muftis to appoint teachers for 'values' courses in public schools

Duvar English 

Protocols that were signed by number of organizations and associations and approved by mufti offices as well as by Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) grant mufti offices the authority to appoint teachers for classes on moral values in public schools, according to a report from the daily Cumhuriyet on Nov. 3.

The requirements for the teachers to teach these classes in elementary schools is an associates degree, while the requirements to teach pre-elementary age children is a certificate certifying them to teach children in the 4-6 age group, according to the protocols. 

Feray Aytekin Aydoğan, the president of the Eğitim Sen teacher's union, criticized the protocols, arguing they would drastically affect the country's pre-elementary education programs: 

“By ignoring the right of our pre-elementary school students to receive 30 hours of education in our “pre-school education program”, people who do not hold the qualification of an educator that has received pedagogic formation training are carrying out these initiatives within the scope of “values education,” Aydoğan said. 

“For this age group, all achievements are planned over the course of 30 hours. Six of these hours will be filled by people that are appointed by the muftis. The muftis are being recognized above the Ministry of National Education (MEB). Education is being left to the mutfis with the decision of MEB,” Aydoğan added.