Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 10 / Trend , J.Babayeva/
The Azerbaijani Education Minister, Misir Mardanov, spoke to Trend in an exclusive interview.
Trend : What do you think, is it necessary to consult the Caucasus Muslim Cleric Board on the religious themes being included in secondary school textbooks?
Misir Mardanov: Azerbaijani secondary schools have been teaching religious themes for a long time. The various textbooks do not just include information on Islam, but also on all religions. I do not support including the religious education issue in the agenda again. I consider it unnecessary to go into this issue any further. We have recently issued a license to the Islam University. I personally handed over the license to the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Cleric Board, Sheikhulislam Haji Allahshukur Pashazade. Now we must focus on improving the activity and quality of the university.
Q: Does the Emergency Situations Ministry examine security in Azerbaijan's educational institutions at the beginning of each academic year?
A: The Azerbaijani Emergency Situations Ministry examines schools not only at the beginning of each academic year, but also during the year. After each examination, the Education Ministry receives an official letter with the Emergency Situations Minister's signature. We even issue warnings to some schools for being venerable to dangerous situations. This work is always being carried out. We are also doing all in our power to deal with the shortages of the funds allocated by the state.
Q: What steps are the Education Ministry taking to solve the problems of Azerbaijanis in Georgia studying their mother tongue?
A: We know that Azerbaijanis in Georgia are having problems in studying their mother tongue. Together with the Georgian Education Ministry, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia and the State Committee on Diaspora Affairs, we are working to solve these problems. This year, as was agreed by a letter from the Georgian Education Ministry, we will send textbooks in Azerbaijani to our Azerbaijani compatriots in the country.
There are special programs, approved by the state leadership, to solve the problems of Azerbaijanis in Georgian with their studies. I do not want to speak too openly about the program, because Georgia is Azerbaijan's friend and neighbor and we do not want to interfere in its internal affairs. This program will be implemented only with an agreement from both countries. I believe that in the upcoming years significant steps will be taken to improve conditions for Azerbaijanis in Georgia studying their mother tongue.
Q: Azerbaijani academics in Georgia have offered to create conditions for our compatriots to receive higher education in Azerbaijan for free. According to the law, foreign citizens are only able to study in Azerbaijan with their own funds. Regarding the difficult social situation of Azerbaijanis in Georgia, is it possible to make such concessions for them?
A: This concession is possible. The ministry also met with the academics a while ago and I listened to their opinions. I have informed the relevant government agencies about the academics' suggestion.
Q: You have said that the ministry will appoint Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) deputies as school directors. When will the appointment of the deputies begin?
A: We have already begun this work and applied this innovation to some schools. We do are not planning to send ICT deputies to all 4,500 schools within a year. This work will be conducted gradually. First, the ICT deputy directors will appear in Baku schools, and then eventually in all schools in the country.
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