Madrid: The Spanish government is aimed to counter extremism by teaching Islamic studies in public schools nationwide, primarily by letting the students be exposed to a "moderate" interpretation of the religion, The Christian Times reported.
According to the Gatestone Institute, this is in accordance with Article 27.3 of the 1978 Spanish Constitution that says, "The State guarantees parents the right for their children to obtain a religious and moral education which conforms to their own convictions."
There were also other agreements reached between the government and the Muslim community over the years.
Drafted by the Islamic Commission of Spain, the set of guidelines for teaching Islam to students in preschools, primary schools, and secondary schools were approved by the ministry of education and published on March 18 in the Boletin Oficial del Estado or the official gazette of the state. Students may receive religious education upon request, and the Muslim community is allowed to select teachers and approve textbooks.
There are several documents outlining the curriculum for different educational levels, and according to the one for Early Childhood Education, roughly translated via Google Translate -- the teaching of Islam to little children aims to convey security, affection and joy.
Block 3 of the curriculum, for instance, tackles positive emotions, acceptance, and tolerance of diversity, while Block 5 is about co-existence with others and includes teaching about the damaging effects of violent emotions and its prevention, among other things.
The Gatestone Institute explains that the preschool curriculum will teach 3- to 6-year-olds the Shahada or the Islamic profession of faith. In Block 6, children will be taught the texts of oral tradition including Qur’anic stories and short Hadith. The teachings become less simplistic in primary and high school.