German churches call for introducing Islam to school curricula

BERLIN, May 27 (KUNA) -- The federation of Protestant churches in Germany called Friday for introducing an Islamic subject to the curricula of the public school as a means of de-radicalization of youth.
Teaching Islam is the best way to immunize Muslim schoolchildren against the attempts of radical groups to recruit them, the federation said in a press release.
The Muslim students have the right to learn the true values of their faith and the Muslim community can supervise the Islamic teaching on equal footing with churches that supersize Christian teaching at school, it added.
The call was welcomed by president of the supreme council of Muslims Ayman Mazik as "an appropriate response to the needs of Muslim youth." "The call indicates the churches' true desire to conduct a constructive dialogue with the community of four million Muslims in the country," he said in statements to KUNA.
"The call sends a message of total rejection of the policies of German right wing parties which seek to isolate the Muslims and manipulate the concept of clash of civilization for political ends," he added.
The call of the Protestant coincides with political controversy over how to prevent Muslim youth from being induced to join the extremist groups. (end) anj.gb