Compulsory religious culture and moral knowledge (DKAB) education has been a major battlefield for the protection of human rights and freedom of belief in Turkey for years. The Initiative for Freedom of Belief (İÖG) has launched the #OurLessonisnotReligionItisReligionsandBeliefs campaign to draw attention to the DKAB curriculum and demand that the Ministry of National Education provide a curriculum that objectively addresses all religions, beliefs and non-beliefs and prevents discrimination.
İÖG notes that the compulsory subjects of Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge are taught only from the perspective of Sunni Islam, which is anything but inclusive. Furthermore, it emphasizes that the impartial and non-objective curriculum leads to children experiencing many problems, including discrimination.
The Freedom of Belief Initiative issued the following statement on the campaign:
"The education system systematically interferes with the child's freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, the child's right to participate, and the parents' right to educate their children according to their own philosophical or religious views. Despite Turkey's human rights obligations and the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the Constitutional Court, the necessary precautions have not been taken to ensure that education is objective and pluralistic."
Some of the problems children have experienced as a result of DKAB teaching:
- Discrimination
- Violation of freedom of thought, religion and conscience
- Lack of objective information about religions
- Stigmatization and exclusion
- Being forced to reveal her/his faith
- Disadvantage in exams
- Discriminatory exemptions
- Coercion and pressure
- Feeling that your identity is not respected
The details of the campaign can be found at this link.