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Published by Stetson
University Russia Religion News, August 17,
2004
Provinces begin teaching Islam and Orthodoxy in
schools
TRIAL TEACHING OF
FUNDAMENTALS OF ORTHODOXY TO BEGIN IN TAMBOV
SCHOOLS
(Portal-credo.ru,
17 August 2004) - An experiment in teaching the
fundamentals of Orthodoxy will begin on 1
September in municipal school No. 16 of Tambov, IA
REGNUM reports.
A resolution concerning the creation of two first
grades with intensified study of the fundamentals
of Orthodox culture was signed by Tambov Mayor
Aleksei Ilin. As a source in the city department
of education stated, the Tambov authorities made
this decision because contemporary secular
education can be of a substantial quality only if
it include religious values of the national
culture within which the education is being
conducted. As the source explained, the
"Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" subject will
not be a required subject but will be conducted as
an elective subject outside of regular school
hours, on the basis of the decision of the school
administration and the parents' council.
Thirty pupils of special classes will study a full
day, twenty hours. In accordance with sanitation
and hygiene requirements, in addition to the
classes, two meals costing thirty rubles per
child, obligatory strolls, and recesses will be
provided. If the experiment is considered to be
successful, the leadership of city hall of Tambov
is prepared to review the question of opening an
Orthodox high school [gymnasium] in the city. (tr.
by PDS, posted 17 August 2004)
SCHOOLS IN KABARDINO-BALKARIIA WILL TEACH BOTH
ORTHODOXY AND ISLAM
(Religiia v
svetskom obshchestve, 17 August 2004) - The
government of the republic adopted a resolution
"On measures for cooperation with religious
associations of Kabardino-Balkariia and
governmental support for them in 2004-2006." It
provides for the introduction of fundamentals of
islam and orthodoxy into the school curriculum.
Commenting on this resolution, the dean of
Orthodox churches of KBR, Archpriest Valentin
Bobylev, stated that ""a singularly proper
decision has been made," since "introduction of
religious and ethical disciplines into the state
system is an attempt to halt the horrible tendency
of moral self-destruction." However, in his
opinion, the question is who will teach these
disciplines." (from Kavkazskii uzel, 29 July 2004,
tr. by PDS, posted 17 August 2004)
The subject will be called "History and culture of
the religious of the peoples of KBR." In August
participants of a congress of Orthodox clergy of
Kabardino-Balkariia approved the idea of
introducing this subject in the schools of the
republic, but advocated participation of the
church in selection of teachers. (tr. by PDS,
posted 17 August 2004)
"HISTORY OF RELIGION'" TO BE INTRODUCED AS
ELECTIVE IN TATARSTAN
(Blagovest-info, 23 June 2004) - An excursion to restored houses of worship in the
Kazan kremlin was conducted by Tatarstan President
Mintimer Shaimiev for Russian Minister of
Education and Science Andrei Fursenko, who visited
at the end of last week. The guest surveyed the "Kul
Sharif" mosque and showed great interest in the
restoration of the frescoes of the Annunciation
cathedral, that was erected upon the order of Tsar
Ivan the Terrible.
As the press center of the president reported,
Mintimer Shaimiev told Andrei Fursenko that the
first services in both buildings will be held next
year when the millennium of Kazan will be
celebrated. The "Kul Sharif" mosque and the
Annunciation cathedral were restored as a part of
the plan of preparation for the city's jubilee.
Both persons also touched on the question of the
study of religion in general education schools.
As Tatarstan Minister of Education Faris Kharisov
announced recently, in the new school year, the
subject of "History of religion" will be
introduced on an elective basis into all secondary
schools of the republic, where Orthodoxy will be
taught alongside Islam. (tr. by PDS, posted 17
August 2004)
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