The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

The Office of Education of Islamic State distributes a circular in the city of Deir Ezzor

SOHR could get a copy of a circular distributed by “Office of Education” of Islamic State in the city of Deir Ezzor City days ago. The circular stated that “the Office of Education declares, in al- Khayr State- the city sector), the start of registration for school year of 1436h in the school affiliated the office, noting that the education from the first stage to the ninth stage is mandatory, and that everyone who does not send his son to school will be held accountable and punishment. The period of registration is from second Jomada 1 (the seventh month in the Islamic calendar) to the second Jomada 11 in 1436 h, and from 11 a.m. to 2 .p.m. The Organization noted that at present the registration is for males only. The circular mentioned 6 schools in the neighborhoods of al- Ommal, al- Hamidiyyi, al- Matard al- Qadim, al- Knamat and al- Tawhid in the city of Deir Ezzor in order to register the students in these centers.   

 

In March 12, SOHR activists could get a copy of registration papers in “IS schools” and a written undertaking from the pupil’s guardian in order to send the pupils to these schools and oblige them of attendance. The papers state “I pledge, by God willing, to send my son to the school in order to continue his studying, in the case of not carrying out this I will take full responsibility.” The second paper includes details of the pupil’s name, educational level and full address.  Meanwhile, SOHR activists knew that IS Organization informed the teachers of the schools, which belong to the organization in its- held areas, that they have to inform the parents of pupils who stopped to go to the schools that they have to send them again to schools in order to complete their education.

 

In February 25. 2015, SOHR published that IS started to distribute applications for “employing teachers” in the schools in IS- held areas attached with a document of “asking repentance” in the province of Deir Ezzor.

 

“I, the undersigned, repent to Allah of teaching blasphemous, nationalistic and atheistic curriculums, working under manmade laws, resort to tyrants and that I voluntarily submit to the judge of Allah. I also pledge that I am not going to fight Muslims or help to fight them by deads or words and to respect the sacred ordinances and not to go beyond the limits of Allah. If I metamorphose Allah’s judgment will be carried out against me.”

 

In Feruary 19, Reliable sources informed SOHR that IS distributed its own curriculum in the Organization- held areas today, where they distributed a copy of teaching subjects for each school. The curriculum contains 6 subjects:

  • Monotheism consisting of 179 pages, and which is a thesis written by Muhammad Abdulwahab; one of the scholars in the Arabian Peninsula. In this thesis, Abdulwahab talks about the Three Fundamental Principals in Monotheism.
  • Arabic Language consisting of 30 pages and containing an explanation for Alfeyyet Iben Malek.
  • Mathematics consisting of 64 pages.
  • Physics and chemistry consisting of 25 pages.
  • Biology consisting of 37 pages.
  • English Language consisting of 30 pages.

The sources also informed SOHR that canceled Saturday weekend and keep only Friday. In adition to information reported that the Organization canceled the high school level while it keeps the primary and secondary school levels.

 

Meanwhile, SOHR knew that IS demanded from the teachers in the city of al- Mayadin to “pledge allegiance to IS “in order to be able to continue teaching in the city and to cut their relations with the regime which pay their salaries. The organization also cautions those who will not pledge allegiance that they will not be allowed to teach. The sources noted that IS does not define any salaries for the teachers in the city of al- Mayadin and who have not received their salaries since 2 months. 

 

 

In February 20, SOHR also received a copy of a footage shows IS members teaching children in its own- held areas in the eastern countryside of Homs.

 

An IS teacher appears explaining a lesson about kinds of monotheism and pillars of Iman (faith). Another teacher from al- Maghreb appears in the videotape saying, “the educational system is getting better and better. The criminal regime was introducing blasphemous, nationalistic and atheistic curriculums for those children, but now in the grace of Allah they have become studying Feqeh and monotheism as well as they have learned their religion correctly.”

 

 “We have started the educational process in the beginning of Safar (the second month in the Islamic calendar), where we have establishes the Diwan (bureau) and its Shoura council. We have also started to open schools in the villages. These schools are houses prepared to serve as schools,” a teacher said.

 

The educational process started with one or two schools but now we have 9 schools, we also started with 300 students bu now we have more than 2700. We have 3 levels and never teach previous curriculums. We teach Quran, Aqida (It is a branch of Islamic studies describing the beliefs of the Islamic faith) and monotheism, Feqeh ( Islamic jurisprudence), Arabic language and mathematics. Therefore, we are not, as the west claim, an ignorant nation but we are people of knowledge. But we just teach the true science which the Quran and the prophet encourage us to learn it,” the teacher continued.