DUSHANBE, October 14, 2015, Asia-Plus – The Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) has introduced “History of Religions” as compulsory coursework in Tajik schools.

An official source at a MoES says ninth graders will be schooled in the subject just one hour a week.

We will recall that “Knowledge of Islam” became mandatory study in Tajik schools in 2009 and eighth graders were schooled in that subject one hour a week.

The authorities noted that time that the program was partially aimed at preventing the country’s young from seeking information about their religion “elsewhere.”

However, the “Knowledge of Islam” subject was suspended in 2011 and hours of the “Tajik Literature” and “History of Tajikistan” were increased.