An academic seminar on curriculum and methodology in religious education took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, organised by the Kyrgyz state and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), including the Aga Khan University's Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (ISMC), based in London.
Dr Farouk Topan, associate professor, and Dr Sevgi Adak, assistant professor at the ISMC, each presented papers at the event. The event attracted attention from the press and a translation of an article is below.
Kabar News Agency report about the seminar: From 30 June to 1 July 2017, an academic seminar on "Methodological Approaches in the Provision of Religious Studies and Religious Education: International Experience and Kyrgyzstan" was held. This was reported by the press service of the State Commission for Religious Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Experts from Great Britain, France, Turkey, Indonesia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan took part in the seminar.
Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic K. Kozhobekov made the opening address and pointed to the significant role of religious studies in improving the educational system in the country.
The director of the State Commission for Religious Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Z. Ergeshov talked about the state policy in religious sphere. He pointed out that the state has launched a pilot project in 10 educational institutions to teach “The Fundamentals of Religious Culture” which achieved success in 2017, and as a result, this subject will be introduced to 56 additional schools.
The theologian Kadyr Malikov talked about the impact of globalisation on Kyrgyzstan and shed light on its possible positive and negative effects.
Rector of Kirghiz State University, named after I. Arabaeva, T. Abdyrakhmanov emphasised that this educational institution (the University) provides secular education in combination with the theological component.
The diplomatic representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in the Kyrgyz Republic, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, stated that this academic seminar is an important and positive initiative by Kyrgyz Republic and the State Committee for Religious Affairs in particular. This academic event brought together a broad group of scholars to jointly study various methodological approaches for the development of religious studies and religious education, without imposing any particular idea, philosophy or scientific school.
First Deputy Mufti of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Russian Federation, member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, candidate of political sciences D. Mukhetdinov spoke about the development of Islamic education and the state-confessional cooperation in the Russian Federation.
The Vice Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, Associate Professor of Kazakh National University, named after Al-Farabi, B.Meyrbaev talked about the prospects of the development of religious education in Kazakhstan.
Member of a group of experts who work on the development of the textbook "Fundamentals of Religious Culture" N.Kurbanova shared her experience in teaching religious disciplines in higher educational institutions of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The participants of this seminar discussed for two days the experience of Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Kazakhstan, England, Turkey, Indonesia and East Africa in the domain of religious studies and religious education and the significance of having such platforms for exchanging experiences and improving the methodology of teaching religious subjects.
The seminar was conducted by the State Commission for Religious Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic in cooperation with Kirghiz State University and the Aga Khan University’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations in London.