Kyrgyzstan: Huge changes in Islamic schools

Asia News reported on 25 February 2016 that all Islamic clergy, principals and teachers in Kyrgyzstan have undergone a process designed to vet their qualifications. Over the years, Kyrgyz authorities had become concerned about the growth of radical ideas in the country and the recruitment of young people by militant groups. The outcome was rather shocking: more than 90 per cent of principals and approximately half of the teachers in Kyrgyz madrassahs (Islamic schools) were not certified because they lack the secular and religious higher education needed to teach in the country's religious schools.

Rolf Zeegers, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, agrees with Radio Free Europe reporting on 23 February 2016 that these measures are a typical example of the changed attitude of the Kyrgyz government towards religion. He states: "Since 2009 new and more restrictive legislation has been imposed on the country. The regime has tightened controls on Islamic schools, often hotbeds of radical propaganda, but has also made it as good as impossible to provide religious teaching to children under 18 years of age. While this change in the regime"s attitude is caused by the rise of Islamic radicalism, Christians face restrictions too as a kind of collateral damage. It is not to be expected that the government will place Christians in a special position to escape such restrictions."