Turkish religious body to shape early, youth, and adult education with new regulation

Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) has undergone regulatory changes which expand its roles and gives the power to create educational programs and materials targeted towards different age groups including children (4-6 years old), teenagers, and adults, Turkey’s Birgun newspaper reported on Friday.

The changes in the Diyanet's "Duty and Work Regulation" which were published in the Official Gazette grants the general directorate the authority to develop educational programs, textbooks, and supplementary educational materials.

Surprisingly, the regulation does not mention the role of the Ministry of National Education (MEB) in the preparation of instructional materials.

In addition, the directive grants permission to the General Directorate of Educational Services to establish Quran education centers for students attending formal education to undertake memorization studies or receive fundamental Islamic sciences education.
According to the regulatory amendment, the general directorate will not only be able to open Quran courses but also manage Quran education centers entirely, catering to students who wish to pursue both formal education and studies in the memorization of the Quran or primary Islamic sciences.