Education Ministry embarks on plan to fight radicalism at school

AMMAN – A weekly class that covers the dangers of terrorism will now be taught at the Kingdom's schools as part of a comprehensive plan to combat extremist ideologies.

According to the Education Ministry, every Tuesday, students will be exposed to the importance of denouncing all forms of violence and extremism, while understanding the "true essence of Islam" that is based on tolerance, moderation and acceptance. 

“The lessons will be based on a guidebook the ministry is working on in cooperation with different security, military, Islamic and youth institutions,” the ministry’s spokesperson, Walid Jallad, told The Jordan Times on Monday.

At a meeting with the ministry’s planning committee on Sunday, attended by the directors of education departments, Deputy Prime Minister for Services and Minister of Education Mohammad Thneibat underlined a plan being formulated by the ministry to “immunise young generations against the influence of extremism”.

He said the plan also seeks to instil in young Jordanians a sense of belonging, good citizenship, respect and acceptance.

Thneibat called on education directors to follow up on schools’ abidance by the plan and update the ministry with all the extracurricular activities held at schools.

While hailing the move, education expert Bilal Jayousi underlined the significance of teachers’ preparedness to be up to the mission and the way they present the material.

The challenge, according to the pundit, is to ensure that the plan’s authors and the teachers in the field are on the same page. 

In addition, Jayousi said, anti-extremism values should be incorporated in textbooks, which should serve as sources of enlightenment.

“Parents should also be engaged in the ministry’s efforts to fight extremist ideologies,” he noted.