| 29 Oct 2009 |
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Revised curriculum sparks debate over sectarianism
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Thursday, Oct 29, 2009
Gulf News
Dubai Recently introduced textbooks in Iraq schools have not only led to verbal exchanges between officials and parliamentarians, but also fuelled concerns among many politicians that the books would further incite sectarianism in the politically fragile country, MPs said.
While the head of the Parliamentarian Education Committee, Ala' Makki, accused the education ministry of distributing text books "without the committee's approval" as agreed earlier, Iraq's minister of education Khudayr Al Khuzai denied "distributing one single new paper" at the beginning of the current academic year in early October.
"We have not written anything new," since the removal of all praising references to the former Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussain and the Ba'ath Party, Khuzai told Gulf News.
After the Saddam regime's fall in 2003, Iraqi officials started omitting gratifying references in curriculum for the once-omnipresent president, who ruled Iraq for 24 years. However, this year, schools received "new history books," that reflect changes in the country and includes historical events that were once taboo.
According to a recent report on the respected American National Public Radio (NPR), new material includes sections of the poison gas attack against the Kurdish town of Halabja in 1988, and how the vast southern marshlands were drained during the 1991 repression of the Shiite uprising.
More religious material was also included in the new textbooks, according to many students at a high school for boys in central Baghdad.
An 18-year-old student, Sudeif said he is "happy that the story of Shiite martyrs Ali and Hussain is included now". And even if others disagree with him, he says, the important thing is "they feel safe discussing it."
Imam Ali, the cousin of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and his son Hussain, are among the most revered Imams for the Shiites. Both are also highly valued figures from "Al Al Bayt family" by all Muslims — a reference to the "household of the Prophet Mohammad" (PBUH).
Hussain was killed and beheaded in the battle of Karbala in Iraq in 680, during which the relatives and supporters of Hussain Bin Ali fought against the forces of Umayyad caliph.
Commenting on including stories of many respected figures from Al Al Bayt, Makki told Gulf News, "we don't deny that this is part of the Islamic history, but we reject presenting the issue in a way that would lead to a religious or sectarian dispute," he said without further explanation.
"We stand by the unity of the sons of Iraq, and leave the religious beliefs to each one to choose freely…. [we are with] reinstating the national basis that bring together all Iraqis, namely loyalty to Iraq and its unity," Makki said.
Other "challenging issues" relate to Iraq's borders, Makki said, as well as way of praying and Quranic verses explanations, saying "they should be left to each person according to where and how he or she prays."
According to Makki, the parliamentarian committee has "requested the withdrawal of the new books" without its prior approval; otherwise, they "will hold the minister responsible and further constitutional and legal" measures will be taken against him. He didn't elaborate, adding that the minister has promised to meet the demands of the committee.
The educational parliamentarian committee is a member of a higher committee formed to draw a "national strategy for the entire Iraqi curriculum" for schools and universities, updating books and updating the whole educational system, he said. The committee has formed an expert committee to work with Unesco.
However, Khuzai stressed that there is "no noise at all [over text books] in Iraq. There are no new books..."
By Jumana Al Tamimi, Associate Editor
© Gulf News 2009. All rights reserved.
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