Sera Kadıgil to Minister of National Education Tekin: Would you consider abolishing the MoNE and attaching it to the Diyanet?

TİP Spokesperson Sera Kadıgil questioned Minister Yusuf Tekin regarding the Ministry of National Education's (MoNE) amendment to the Preschool Education and Primary Education Institutions Regulation, which makes the opening of prayer rooms (masjids) mandatory in preschools and primary education institutions.

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Sera Kadıgil to Minister of National Education Tekin: Would you consider abolishing the MoNE and attaching it to the Diyanet?

In her parliamentary question, Kadıgil asked: “Considering the many examples such as imams, preachers, religious services experts, and Quran course instructors assigned as ‘spiritual counselors’ within the scope of ÇEDES projects; activities carried out under the name of ‘values education’ for students in MoNE schools; certificates such as ‘Daughter of Islam’ and ‘Monument of Chastity’ distributed through training provided by individuals in turbans and robes; and the segregation of male and female students in separate rows or even separate corridors—all of which constitute constitutional crimes and demonstrate that the Ministry of National Education is failing to fulfill its purpose of existence, duties, and responsibilities—would you consider abolishing the Ministry of National Education and attaching it to the Presidency of Religious Affairs?”

Sera Kadıgil brought the mandatory requirement for prayer rooms in preschool and primary education institutions to the parliamentary agenda.

Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) Spokesperson Sera Kadıgil brought the mandatory requirement for opening prayer rooms in preschools and primary education institutions, introduced by the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) through an amendment to the Preschool Education and Primary Education Institutions Regulation, to the agenda of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).

The parliamentary question, submitted for the response of Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin, included the statement: “How much budget has your Ministry, which turns a blind eye to millions of children going to school hungry, allocated for opening prayer rooms to meet the ‘worship’ needs of children?”

The MoNE, which paved the way for imams to enter classrooms with the “I Am Sensitive to My Environment, I Protect My Values” (ÇEDES) project, had also made it mandatory to have prayer rooms in preschools and primary schools with the amendment made to the Preschool Education and Primary Education Institutions Regulation.

The clause in the regulation, which previously stated, “Places of worship are opened in the dormitory sections of regional boarding secondary schools. In preschool education and primary education institutions, a suitable space may be allocated to meet worship needs if requested,” was changed to: “In preschool education and primary education institutions and the dormitory sections of regional boarding secondary schools, a prayer room is opened in a suitable space with natural lighting to meet worship needs.”

‘HOW MUCH BUDGET WAS ALLOCATED FOR THE ‘WORSHIP’ NEEDS OF CHILDREN WHO GO TO SCHOOL HUNGRY?’

TİP Spokesperson Sera Kadıgil questioned Minister Yusuf Tekin about the aforementioned regulation change made by the MoNE. In the parliamentary question, where Kadıgil recalled the ÇEDES project and the phrase “Would you consider abolishing the Ministry of National Education and attaching it to the Presidency of Religious Affairs” stood out, the following points were included:

1- While your Ministry, which only managed to provide one free meal and clean water in schools for half a term, turns a blind eye to millions of children going to school hungry, how much budget has it allocated to open prayer rooms to meet the ‘worship’ needs of 57-68 month-old children, who have not yet developed abstract thinking and lack the mechanisms to tolerate fear and anxiety?

2- How many schools are planned to have prayer rooms opened under this regulation?

3- Will the envisioned prayer rooms be open only during recess? Will activities be organized for children to spend time in the prayer room during classes or after school hours?

4- What path will be followed to ensure that children of different religions and sects are not subjected to discrimination? Will a separate place of worship be allocated for children of every religion and sect? For example, is it planned to open Cemevis for Alevi children, chapels for Christian children, or other places of worship?

‘WOULD YOU CONSIDER ABOLISHING THE MONE AND ATTACHING IT TO THE DIYANET?’

5- Considering the many examples such as imams, preachers, religious services experts, and Quran course instructors assigned as ‘spiritual counselors’ within the scope of ÇEDES projects; activities carried out under the name of ‘values education’ for students in MoNE schools; certificates such as ‘Daughter of Islam’ and ‘Monument of Chastity’ distributed through training provided by individuals in turbans and robes; and the segregation of male and female students in separate rows or even separate corridors—all of which constitute constitutional crimes and demonstrate that the Ministry of National Education is failing to fulfill its purpose of existence, duties, and responsibilities—would you consider abolishing the Ministry of National Education and attaching it to the Presidency of Religious Affairs?

News Source: 12punto