CURRICULUM REFORM RANKLES IN JORDAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000304

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2014
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL IS JO
SUBJECT: CURRICULUM REFORM RANKLES IN JORDAN

REF: AMMAN 062

Classified By: Ambassador Edward Gnehm for reason 1.5d

SUMMARY
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1. (C) A recent Ministry of Education (MoEd) announcement of
plans to incorporate human rights concepts in school
curriculum unleashed a media frenzy in opposition to the
perceived imposition of western standards. While the status
of the changes remains unclear, GOJ statements and the timing
of both USG calls for education reform and other Arab
regimes' plans for curriculum changes have only solidified
opposition to the reforms. GOJ statements that this was a
domestic, UNESCO-supported project and its efforts to explain
its plans have neither resolved the debate nor inspired
confidence in the government's intentions, even by
supporters, though the King visited the MoEd yesterday to
show support for its strategy. The Israeli Embassy and press
have also objected to one module which encourages contrast of
terrorism and resistance to occupation (we will seek
clarification on this point). With the debate cast in
nationalist, Islamic, and anti-Israeli terms, the opposition
is prevailing over demoralized reformists, who lament the new
government may be failing an early test of its capacity to
implement its reform agenda. End summary.

THE REFORMS
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2. (U) At the end of December the MoEd announced a
UNESCO-supported curriculum reform program which aims to
incorporate into textbooks and syllabi human rights concepts
such as the freedom to live in peace and of religion, public
assembly, travel and self-determination. According to the
MoEd, these concepts have roots in Islamic teachings and the
Arab-Islamic heritage and are to be introduced over the next
few years. Forced by the resulting media frenzy to defend the
reform publicly, Education Minister Khalid Touqan met with
parliament's Education Committee and has repeatedly discussed
the government's plans with the press. Touqan confirmed that
the concepts do not contradict Islam, Arab tradition, the
constitution, or current educational guidelines. He explained
that they are intended to be gradually integrated as part of
ongoing domestic curriculum development in history, civic
education, Islam, and Arabic and English language course
work.


3. (C) The Prime Minister's human rights advisor, Nancy
Bakir, and MoEd head of training, Ahmad Ayasreh (a recent
International Visitor program returnee),have confirmed to
emboffs that the proposed concepts are just that--no specific
language has been drafted, and no textual changes have been
ordered. However, specific text has been widely reported and
commented on in the media. Hence, the specifics of the
reforms remain confusing for most Jordanians.

MEDIA FRENZY AND POLITICAL REACTION
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4. (U) Spurred by recent USG calls for educational reform at
a conference in Alexandria and announcements from Kuwait and
Saudi Arabia that those governments were also reforming their
curricula, the press and political opposition went into a
feeding frenzy following the government's announcement.
Headlines such as "Developing the curricula or Zionizing
them?" (al-Wihda) and "America declares war on educational
syllabi" (al-Sabeel) appeared (ref),and the IAF issued a
forceful statement expressing its rejection of outside
influences on Jordanian education. Many in the public
consequently view the reforms as the result of a U.S./Zionist
plot to impose non-Arab and non-Islamic standards on
unsuspecting children. MoEd and government spokesperson
denials have failed to convince skeptics. On Jan. 12 the King
visited the Ministry to show his support for its 5 year
education strategy, though press reports carried no specific
mention of the curriculum reform. The public nature and
timing of the visit did, however, provide veiled support for
the reform.

ISRAELIS UPSET, TOO
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5. (C) Another controversy involves the content of the
reforms. On December 30, Fawwaz Jaradat, Director of the
Curricula Department in the Ministry was quoted as saying "we
will try to make our students more aware of the very great
difference between terror and legitimate resistance."
Minister Touqan noted publicly that 9th and 10th grade
curricula will contain ideas to stimulate discussion of
resistance to occupation and terrorism. The Israeli press
reported on the proposed change. The Israeli ambassador
described the apparent change to the Ambassador as a step
backwards and a possible violation of the Jordan-Israel peace
treaty.

FALLOUT
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6. (C) The GOJ's handling of the issue has only made matters
worse. Even supporters lament the missed opportunity to
discuss the issue more calmly and rationally and fear that
the government's recent actions may jeopardize this chance to
modernize the curriculum. Newly appointed Senator Mai Abu
Samen told PolCouns January 8 that she was very disappointed
with the government's -- and particularly Minister Touqan's
-- handling of the issue. Even as a member of the Senate's
Education Committee, she complained, she has not been able to
get from the MoEd a clear explanation of the principles to be
introduced into the curriculum, or even whether the Ministry
has drafted specific textual changes. Abu Samen, a long-time
women's activist and former school teacher, described herself
as a "natural supporter" of what she thinks the Ministry is
trying to do, but admitted that the "lack of transparency and
public debate" in the curriculum changes has hurt her
confidence in the MoEd.

7. (C) A group of liberal Jordanians made similar laments to
the DCM, noting that the voting down of curriculum reforms by
the Kuwaiti parliament had encouraged foes of reform in
Jordan. Islamists had successfully seized control of the
debate here; once the contest was cast in terms of defeating
external, anti-Islamic, pro-Israeli imports in the
curriculum, few reformists were prepared to speak out (these
liberal reformers betrayed some of their own biases and
detachment from the public by arguing for a return to use of
the British-inspired textbooks of their youth in the 1940s
and 1950s, replete with Keynesianism and readings from "David
Copperfield").

COMMENT
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8. (C) The whole controversy appears to be a spontaneous
combustion between and within the press, parliament and
government foes, who are testing the new government's
tolerance, but know they cannot take on harder issues, such
as the Jordan-Israel or Jordan-U.S. relationship. This is an
early test of the sincerity of the Fayez cabinet's commitment
to reform, and capacity to achieve it. So far, its
performance has only caused confusion and alienated all
interested constituencies and parties. If the government
pushes forward with reforms, it will lose popularity and hand
a weapon to the opposition; if it shelves the changes, it
will suffer a blow to its reformist credentials. The
government's own statements have needlessly stirred up
discussion of the issue of terrorism versus resistance, a
debate which will be of no service to Jordan, domestically or
abroad.
GNEHM