WHERE DO THE TEACHERS OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES BELONG?

AT THE OCCASION OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE SOCIETY OF THE TEACHERS FOR THE RELIGIOUS STUDIES OF TUZLA CANTON

Abstract

The Ministry of education, science culture and sport of Tuzla canton has three times in a row changed adopted or amended the plan and program of Islamic religious studies concerning the profile and the education requirements of the teacher in particular, and all in the time period between 1st October to 28th December 2010. This was published in the official Gazette of the canton and done without consulting the authorized religious institution. All the teaching instructions for the lectures in the religious studies issued by the mentioned ministry earlier allowed the graduates from other faculties of social studies to teach the subject( provided they have graduated from the madrasa earlier) along with the graduate teachers of religious studies (graduates from the faculties of Islamic studies). However, according to the latest amendments of the teaching plan and program by the ministry if the graduates from any of the teachers faculties have attained the madrasa degree earlier are eligible to teach religious studies. This would mean that religious studies can be thought to students by the teachers of mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics etc. Author of this article is analyzing the new situation concerning the considerable reduction of the requirements that are placed before the teacher of religious studies in Tuzla canton and finds that the formation of the Society of the teachers of religious studies in Tuzla canton could have been expected after such activities. Author expresses a particular concern towards the attitude of the competent authorities, stressing that as a result of such a lack of concern, six graduates of faculties of Islamic studies, that is professors of Islamic studies, were made jobless.