Religious education in Kosovo

by Prof.Dr. Xhabir Hamiti

Introduction:

Islamic religious education in Kosovo and in Balkans in general dates back since the first introduction of Islam in this part of the world through Ottoman Empire. Since the first stages of extension of the empire in the Balkans, the educational institutions as well came along with other institutions and got installed with Balkan populations, having thus their ups and downs through out history. Religious schools are named with different names; Turkish school, Turkish education, Islamic school, Muslim schools etc. Interesting though that in addition to children with Islamic background, children of other religious communities too, such as Macedonian Serbian etc attended[1].  The Ministry of Public Schools in the Ottoman Empire during  TANDHIMATIT had conducted reforms in education in the period around  1845-1866 changing thus the whole schooling system. The end of XIX and the beginning of XX century is known as the most advanced period of religious and general education in the times of ottoman ruling.

The most famous religious education was conducted through the old classical institution known as “Mekteb”: Mektebi[2] represented the lowest religious education for males and females with Islamic background. Such schools were opened in the villages and cities aiming at educating children in religious spirit. The mektabas usually functioned inside or beside the main mosques. Quran, Arabic writing pillars of Islam and studies on certain religious book were taught. In schools with more favorable conditions Persian language and Maths were also taught.

Schools  IBTIDAIYE  were the primary Turkish schools lasting four years. They started operating in the second half of XX century. In addition to religious subjects students were taught also Turkish language, history of ottoman empire, geography, Ethics etc. According to a Turkish document  (almanac) ” Kosova Vilajet Salnamesi “ 1318 ( 1900-1901),  there were five primary schools in |Prizren and 12 mektebahs for children education ( Sibjan Mektebe)[3]

RUSHDIYAH Schools were lower secondary schools first introduced in the second half of XXth century. Completion of ibtidaiyah schools were a precondition to enrolling Rushdiyah`s schools. Students attending these types of schools were group ages 10-15. In addition to oriental languages studies and religion studies, other courses were also taught such as: history, arithmetic, geometry, gymnastics, painting and art, Maths and in some instances French language too. In |Kosovo there were up to seven schools of that type.

MEDRESAHS: were upper secondary schools serving to educate imams, religion teachers and judges. Different religious and Sheriah  disciplines were taught, oriental languages, philosophy and other scientific subjects.

Parallel with the religious schools during the Ottoman Empire other schools were operating for the purposes of Christian community too.  According to Sami Frasheri, the author of

“ Kamsul al-a`lam “in Dibra region there were three schools for children of Christian community, and in Gjakova/Djakovica along with Islamic schools there were also special schools teaching Eastern orthodox and Catholic theology[4]. Similar schools for other non Islamic communities where available in many places in the Ottoman Empire.

In addition to mixed schools there were also religious specialized schools teaching a specialized subject such as: Dar al-Qurra, where reading, citing and memorizing of Quran were taught, than Dar- Ah-Hadiths[5]were hadith –tradition of Prophet Muhammad s.a.v.s were taught.

After the fall of the Ottoman Empire in Kosovo in 1912,  Serbian Monarchy takes over the responsibility of religious teachings,  launching thus severe sanctions and as consequence most of the Islamic religion based schools get closed down by the Monarchy Ruling and fell under the control of the state. After the World War II in 1951 in Kosovo the Medresah Al-laudin –upper secondary school starts working with the mission of preparing imams and teachers of religion. The same medresah has been working in Kosovo till nowadays with expanded capacities and additional branches in several cities of Kosovo.

1.1. Islamic religious teaching in Kosovo today:

After the end of a bloody war in Kosovo in 1999 caused by Milosevic’s regime, new conditions and circumstances emerged for Kosovo and the whole region. Nine years after UN administration in Kosovo, on 17 February 2008 Kosovo finally declares its independence from Serbia, and adopts its new Constitution four months later establishing the youngest state in Europe led by it. Based on its Constitution, Kosovo is a secular democratic state[6] providing full guarantees for religious freedoms for all religious communities. According to the constitutional provisions, public schools in Kosovo do not offer any opportunities to attend any Islamic nor Catholic religious teaching. The situation is totally different with Serbian schools of Kosovo, which teach mandatory Eastern Orthodox Religious studies to students of lower and upper secondary. Kosovo Ministry of Education on the this matter justifies itself with the fact that Kosovo Serbian schools work according to the plans and programs of the Republic of Serbia in parallel system over passing se Kosovo Educational System. Thus this is the justification of the Ministry of Education responding to the request of Kosovo Muslim Community for introducing religious studies in Kosovo public schools.

Ministry of Education in Kosovo has no optional subject on religion or any other course teaching the history of religions.

Islamic religion education in Kosovo remains mostly but not entirely under the supervision of the Islamic Community of Kosovo. After the end of war in 1999, many nongovernmental organizations local and international have been established conducting apart from their humanitarian activities, religious education also especially among the youth. Many of these organizations continue to provide teachings on religion which lack proficiency and modern methodologies failing thus to comply with any academic standards. Islamic religious preaching outside of ICK differs largely from the traditional religious teaching dating back centuries. These are new forms of preaching which have not proven to be successful for Kosovo Muslim community and its mentality. Due to this novel preaching, confusion among believers has been spread on matters of right or wrong practicing of religion in their daily lives.

Islamic Community of Kosova has not been efficient enough to prevent these new religion based movements  acting under the umbrella of Islam .ICK is not the only one to blame here, as since 1999 ICK continues to lack a clear legal status in its interaction with state authorities of the country.

ICk has not been registered with the state authorities, as a community, NGO or foundation. It continues to function without any official link with Kosovo official institutions. This 10 years ld status quo made ICK incapable of having full control over Islamic religious life in Kosovo paving the way  thus for different organizations to conduct any of their Islamic religious activities in the country freely. These groups and organizations have come up with new Islamic literature, uncontrolled and without any academic censorship. To those unfamiliar with Islamic teachers that kind of literature is percepted as rigid. In many of those translated books by different authors there are divisive, intolerant hatred speech against others shall not contribute to Islamic religion, the country and even less to the coexistence of different religious groups in the future.

1.1.1 Religious education means:

1.1                        .1.1 The mosque:

The mosques in addition to the praying services provides the very place of Islamic religious teaching conducted today in Kosovo. Muslim community members in the mosques are taught the fundamentals of Islam. The learning in mosques is based on free will with wide participation of believers regardless of their gender and age.  Basic rules of Islam are taught in all mosques, but not in details. Current situation of Islamic teachings in mosques is not at good level, due to the lack of coordination between ICK and mosques on the field. Lessons are held either in the mosques or in any of their annex facilities, as not all mosques have enough lesson rooms. The learning process is defined with curricula prepared by ICK based on Al-Hanefi madh`hab. According to the ICK Constitution and Rule of Procedures, the imams are obliged to serve  to believers regardless of their ethnic background, and the use of any offence or hatred language is strictly forbidden. Imams are also responsible for raising awareness for tolerance and respect towards humans regardless of their racial, gender or religious background. This has been the tradition of all Albanian imams throughout Islamic history in Albanian territories as well as the source of inter-religious tolerance and coexistence.  In order to preserve this noble tradition ICK should in the future enjoy state support to foster tolerance and peace among all communities, and the same right should be guaranteed to other religious communities as well.

1.1.1.2         The Madrasahs:

Medrasah Alaud-din in Pristina is the upper secondary professional religious school where religious staff is prepared for positions of imams and teachers of religion.

The madresah is established by ICK in 1951. Till 1993 all Albanian and non Albanian students from the territories of former Yugoslavia attended.

The school`s activities have been expanded after the fall of communist regime in 1990 with establishing branches in other Kosovo cities; such as in Prizren  1993 and in Gjilan in 1994. There are two branches of medresahs for girls in Pristina and Prizren, opened in 1997.   The total number of students is ….. Madrasah Alaud-din has modern and up-to-date teaching plans and programs, recognized as such by the Ministry of Education Science and technology of Kosova which is also paying for the salaries of teachers` staff and covers its technical expenses. After the completion of the studies they are entitled to pursue university studies  in the Kosovo public university or any other university in the country or abroad. In addition to religious professional schools there are also courses of social sciences and other that are taught in other Kosovo high schools. The plans and programs are drawn in coordination with other medresahs in the region such as the Madrasah of Sarajevo and Skopje, operating too based on Al Hanefi Law School. The teaching staff is also well prepared, having their degrees obtained either in the country or outside.

1.1.1.3         The Faculty of Islamic Studies:

The Faculty of Islamic Studies is the highest educational institution in the country[7]. The Faculty is founded by the Islamic Community of Kosova in 1992. Students attending studies come from various Albanian areas in Balkans: Kosova, Albania. Preshevo Valley and Monte Negro. The Mission of the Faculty has been to provide to all Albanian speaking students the chance  to study Islam in their own country, language and environment. The Faculty has a private status and is not part of the Public University of Pristina. Islamic Community of Kosova funds the Faculty. Students are prepared to serve as imams of teachers of religion in the country or diaspora where Albanian Community lives. Large number of students continue their graduate  studies in different Universities in the country or abroad in different disciplines such as law, history, psychology, pedagogy etc. The studies in FIS last four years or eight terms. The Plan and Program is drafted based on the plans and programs of other similar faculties in the region and abroad. The Faculty consists of a single department that of theology. The Academic work is conducted based on the same academic principles as the University of Pristina. The lecturers in the Faculty are all local staff with high academic degrees. In addition to religious courses, students also attend English, Albanian and Turkish language, history of religions, sociology of religions and psychology. So far 156 students, males and females, have graduated. Kosovo Ministry of Education till 2009 has recognized the certificates of this Faculty, but due to the lack of legal clarification of ICK status by the Government the recognition of the diplomas by the Ministry itself has been frozen, as the ICK itself is the founder of the Faculty.

The students who completed the Faculty of Islamic Studies, working as teachers or imams, have been proven successful, close to the society’s mentality and closer to the new circumstances in regional and European level. This is quite unlikely for those students who completed their theological studies in other Universities; they actually face many obstacles in adopting themselves with the environment and the tradition.

1.1.1.4.: Print and electronic media:

1.1.1.4.1  magazines

Islamic Community of Kosova publishes printed and electronic media as part of its educational activities.

1.     Monthly Informational and Educational  : “ Dituria Islame” published since 1986

2.     Annual publication of “ Takvim”  published once in a year since 1970

3.     Semestral publication of  “ Edukata Islame “ as of  1971

4.     “ Zgjimi “ semester magazine published by students of the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Pristina

5.     Annual newspaper “ Nur “ published by the students of the Al-Madrasah Alaud-din in Pristina. There are other magazines and newspapers with religious character published by other non governmental associations and organizations..

1.1.1.4.2. Websites:

ICK has its website www.bislame.net with mainly informative character. In Kosovo there are many religion based websites, with large variety of topics: reasonable or radical as they may be. Such websites are mastered by individuals or certain groups without any institutional control.

1.1.1.4.3. Radio and Television :

Along with private websites there are also some local TVs and radios in some cities of Kosova broadcasting weekly programs preaching religion. The space is ensured through payments via private donations. Kosovo Public Broadcaster (RTK) covers the activities of ICK only during two major feasts of Eid-Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha. While during Ramadan offers space for only two to three interviews with Islamic theologians.

Recent efforts of ICK to introduce religion studies in public schools sparked a debate during this year between Kosovo intellectuals and believers. Dailies are publishing different opinions on this matter. Kosovo Ministry of Education is not ready to consider the request of ICK as they claim the Ministry is obliged to implement the law on public education which do not foresee any religious education in Kosovo public schools.

This request of ICK was not warmly welcomed neither by the largest political parties of the countries who are ruling now under coalition: PDK own readiness for cooperation on the matter.

One of the minor parties of Kosovo “ Partia e drejtësisë” (Justice Party)is running its local election campaigns with the motto of introducing religion studies in Kosovo Public Schools. What shall the outcome of this debate be and what shall consequently the decisions be remains to be seen.

One thing that should be kept in mind is the fact that Kosovo is a new state – “ a new born country” with problems of all kinds, which needs time to consolidate itself generally, and be well prepared to take decisions of national interest specifically.

To conclude: allow to add few words:

Religion is the institution of peace and welfare between people and God. This mission shall be completed naturally unless misused by the members of certain communities. When religion is misused for personal interests, then it ceases to be a religion, but rather anarchy and divisive element among people.

God is the Creator of us all. We shall enjoy His presence when there is love and respect among us. Our belief in God is not complete till we sincerely love each other, feel about the human being.

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[1] Joseph von hammer, historia turskog (osmanskog) Carstva, 3 Zagreb, 1979, str. 384
[2] mAKTABAHS WERE PRESENT IN CENTURIES vii-vii. WITH THE EXPANSION OF oTTOMAN eMPIRE THE SCHOOLS ALSO CHANGED ITS FORM AND WERE PRESENT IN kOSOVO, bALKAN AND eUROPE TILL 1912 .
[3] Kosova Vilajet Salnamesi , 1318, faqe. 743
[4] Sami Frasheri, „ Kamus Al-a`lam „ II, Ist., 1889. faqe 1500
[5] Kalesi Hasan, Najstari Vakufski Dokumenti u jugoslaviji na arapskom jeziku, prishtina, 1972, faqe, 23.
[6] Consitution of the rEPUBLIC OF kOSOVO, pRISHTINA -2008, Article 8 .
[7] www.fsi-ks.org