Government takes stock of religious schoolsFeeding young minds [Archives:2004/784/Front Page]

Mohammed Al-Qadhi
In an effort to assess their impact in Yemeni culture, authorities have counted about 1,000 religious doctrinal schools operating in 11 governorates across the country.
An official at the ministry of religious guidance and endowment said last week the campaign counted 941 schools. Most of them are out of authorities' control. Part of the total is distributed in: Hodiedah 303, Taiz 191, Aden 52, al-Jawf 11, Abyan 11, al-Baidah 34, Mukala 114, Seiyon 76, al-Mahweet 11, al-Dhal'e 32 and Marib 15.
These schools are teaching the Holy Quran and other principles of the Islamic religion, but with curriculum that fits the interest of the people running these schools.
Some of these schools are financed by some charitable societies mainly Islah Social Welfare Society while others are funded by some businessmen or political parties.
Some were even financed by al-Harameen charitable society in Saudi Arabia which the Saudi authorities close won as it was proved that the society was involved in fund-raising for terrorist activities.
The investigations found out that only in Hodiedah schools around 810 people are working as teachers. The committee in charge of this task which was set up by the presidency expected to finish the task by the end of this year. This might disclose many more schools working with their own syllabuses without the knowledge of the authorities.
The most important consequence of the Sa'ada insurgency of Hussien al-Huthi is that it has raised concern over the religious doctrinal schools threatening the future of this country plagued with poverty and tribalism.
The cabinet decided in its meeting June 29th to shut down such schools operating without license. It said in its statement “due to the connection between extremism, militancy and certain curricula that promote deviant and alien ideologies he cabinet has issued orders for the immediate closure of all schools so as to realize moderation in Islam, preserve national unity, and to increase security and stability.”
Some of these schools are being supported by the government like al-Hawthi. The government plan was to stop funding of these schools which bring their closure and for the others which are being financed by some people in Yemen and from abroad, the government will close down.
However, President Ali Abdullah Saleh said in a meeting with security later that these “religious schools will not be closed down but they will be working according to the education law and their work would be organized so they can operate after completion of secondary schooling and under monitoring of the ministry of education.”
The plight is that the ruling regime tried to use such schools and religious sects against each other. In the beginning it supported the Salafia and Muslim brother against the socialist party. Then, it supported al-Hawthi against the fanatic Salafia. The consequence was the bloody killings of Sa'ada. Now, the political regime is flirting the Sophists or mystics considering it as a group that present a rosy and moderate picture of Islam. But, this is not in the interest of Yemen.
These schools teaching different doctrines in a society that is tribal, conservative and heavily armed can pose a potential threat if the government does not monitor and control. There must be control over all these schools including al-Eman University which has become a pain in the neck for Yemen.
Even some voices in the Islah party have begun alarming the danger of this university which the US accuses of promoting extremism. Yemen really needs to address doctrinal teaching right now to avoid serious consequences.
Such a step by the authorities in counting the number of these schools is good but has to be followed by others that lead to control of the religious education.
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