Islam: Turkish Cypriots wary of new "religious school"
(ANSAmed) - NICOSIA, OCTOBER 1 - A potentially illegitimate religious school, with teachers imported from mainland Turkey, has opened its doors to students in the occupied areas, the Cyprus News Agency reported (CNA) on Friday.
The Hala Sultan Theology School, named after the Hala Sultan Tekke (a prominent Muslim shrine dedicated to the Prophet Muhammad's paternal aunt near the coastal city of Larnaca), is housed in the premises of Mias Milias' technical college in occupied village of Trachonas.
It has already enrolled 173 students who will be taught by four 'Education Ministry' appointed teachers from Turkey, said CNA, quoting Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen. The decision to operate the school was taken last July. According to the Turkish Cypriot paper the students will be taught religious instruction, the Holy Quran and given Arabic lessons.
It has already enrolled 173 students who will be taught by four 'Education Ministry' appointed teachers from Turkey, said CNA, quoting Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen. The decision to operate the school was taken last July. According to the Turkish Cypriot paper the students will be taught religious instruction, the Holy Quran and given Arabic lessons.
But according to CNA the school's operation has ruffled some feathers in the occupied areas with one academic quoted as saying the religious school had started working without making an announcement. He also said that "by law" no such school was allowed to operate in the occupied areas nor had any amendment been made to the law to now allow it.
Cetin Ugural, head of the civil servants' commission was also quoted by the Turkish Cypriot paper as saying that the appointment of a headmaster or teachers to the religious school had not been made by the 'civil service'.
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