Cancelled classes include art, music, philosophy and social studies classes. Also banned are geography, history and literature lessons as well as any teaching about Christianity. Parts of Islamic education classes have also been cancelled. A compulsory curriculum will be offered by the IS’ own “education experts”. Basic subjects such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, Arabic and English will continue to be taught.
Additionally the IS group wanted the phrases - “Republic of Iraq” or “Republic of Syria” deleted from use and “faithless” songs and poems would be banned, as well as any of the latter that had connotations of patriotism for Iraq or Syria.
In science books, any reference to Darwinism or to natural evolution was to be deleted. This would be replaced by sentences that made it clear that God was the creator of everything. However students would be allowed to study chemistry and physics because these were laws used by God.
Al-Jibouri says that most teachers are afraid that IS fighters might use force in order to guarantee that teachers respect this new curriculum and the new school rules. The group had already made threats against teachers and their families, saying they would destroy their houses and punish them if they did not comply.
On September 14, the IS’ education ministry had told teachers present in the area to go to their schools and start work, says Farhan Hussein Saleh, the head of Kirkuk’s Department of Education, confirming that there’s pressure on the teachers to teach the subjects prescribed by the IS group and to show up at their workplaces.
“If these areas remain out of government control, then students’ grades will be dependent on final exams rather than coursework or mid-term exams,” Saleh says – he is assuming that final exams will be held when the IS group have been driven out of Iraq. Saleh says he hopes this will happen before the end of the school year for the students’ sake.
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