ÇEDES scandals continue! Students in Menemen taken to the grave of those who murdered Lieutenant Kubilay

The scandals surrounding the controversial ÇEDES program of the AKP government, which disregards secular and scientific education, show no signs of ending.

In recent days, while a mock grave was set up at the Kars Central Imam Hatip Secondary School to teach the subject of 'patience,' footage of a student lamenting at the head of the mock grave had sparked reactions.

The ÇEDES project, a collaboration between the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Presidency of Religious Affairs, has been involved in yet another scandal.

According to a report by Birgün; at a school in Isparta, students were taught how to 'slaughter a sacrifice' by being given knives in their hands.

The students were first made to conduct a mock bargaining for the sacrifice. Following this, the slaughtering of small livestock made from models was demonstrated. During this process, a student who was given a real knife in their hand pretended to slaughter the animal. Other students recited prayers during this time.

THEIR HANDS WERE HANDCUFFED

Another scandalous incident took place at the Atatürk Imam Hatip Secondary School in Yozgat.

In the 'activity,' students wearing scarves with Palestinian and Turkish flags around their necks reenacted a Palestinian youth smiling while being killed with handcuffs on their hands. These events were shared on social media with the caption “Our girls' honorable stance action.” The events at the school did not stop there. In another event themed around Palestine, children were made to wear skullcaps and recite anthems and poems.

THEY TOOK THE CHILDREN TO THE TOMB OF THOSE WHO MURDERED LIEUTENANT KUBILAY

The scandals of ÇEDES did not end there. According to a report by Sözcü, in İzmir's Menemen, where Lieutenant Kubilay was murdered during a reactionary uprising, children were taken to the tomb of the Naqshbandi order sheikh Esad Erbili. Erbili had been involved in the Menemen incident, was tried with a death sentence, and was sentenced to life imprisonment due to his age.

İzmir Deputy Provincial Mufti Oğuzhan Kadıoğlu took the children to Sheikh Erbili's tomb along with Menemen Mufti Mehmet Seven. Regarding the visit, Kadıoğlu said, “We met with our child congregation in our Menemen district. Since the mosque was full of children, it was difficult to reach their level, but it was a beautiful program on the weekend. It was especially beautiful that the program took place in the spiritual presence of Esad Erbili (1847-1931), one of the Naqshbandi sheikhs, located in the Safa Mosque and its courtyard. May his place be heaven.”

TOMB VISITS

In Çorum, the Mecitözü Mufti's Office visited the Elvan Çelebi tomb with students. The Adana Yüreğir Youth Center took Yüreğir Imam Hatip Secondary School students to the Çobandede tomb. The Bursa Gürsu Youth Center also went to the Hz. Üftade tomb with students.

ADD HAD FILED A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

On the other hand, the Atatürkist Thought Association (ADD) had filed a criminal complaint regarding the ÇEDES project, which includes extracurricular practices, and requested the initiation of a public lawsuit.

The ADD stated, "In the incidents that have resonated widely in the national press and on social media, students are being taken to mosques within the scope of the 'I Am Sensitive to My Environment, I Protect My Values (ÇEDES)' project, or religious officials are coming to schools to give seminars on various topics, and this situation leads to extracurricular practices. It is obvious that the mentioned project was implemented despite the warnings of experts and that it endangers secular education."

The ADD stated that the Ministry of National Education officials and school principals also displayed attitudes contrary to their duties, saying, "In the events that are the subject of the file, it is clear that the mentioned school principals, along with the Minister of National Education, clearly acted contrary to the requirements of their duties or, at the very least, neglected to perform the requirements of their duties, and therefore an investigation should be conducted in this respect as well."