Islamic teachings, a course in Spanish primary schools

Madrid, Dec 20, IRNA – Spain’s Ministry of Education announced here Friday Islamic teachings course will be offered in private and state primary schools of the country as of next academic year. The Spanish state news agency, EFE, reported that the Spanish Ministry of Education has reiterated in a communiqué that the right to acquire Islamic teachings should not be contrary with the nature and objectives of the school in which the course is offered. “The choice of the text books and educational props, as well as supervision over such courses will be up to the religious authorities,” it adds. The Spanish Islamic Commission, too, reacting to the issue, has announced that offering the Islamic courses will greatly contribute to the development of the children’s language learning skills because presence in Arabic and Spanish courses gives a greater value to education. According to the prelude of the decision adopted by the Spanish Education Ministry, the Islamic teachings course will strengthen the students’ beliefs on holding dialogues, cooperation and group work, accepting responsibilities, and self esteem and respecting the others’ beliefs. The decision is in line with comprehending faith in God and its root-taking in the children’s souls, cognition of the Glorious Qur’an, getting acquainted with Islamic rituals and participation in them, such as daily prayers, paying alms, fasting, Hajj pilgrimage and other religious ceremonies, getting acquainted with the life style of the Prophet (P), recitation and memorizing the Qur’an, and contemplation over its holy verses. Elaborating the objectives of the course, the Education Ministry refers to questioning, personal initiatives, search for information, observing moderatism in praying, consensus in faith, consultations, proper interpretation of texts, and having critical viewpoints in addition to proper use of the information and ITC technologies in search of Islamic facts and figures./end