CONGRESSIONAL REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON HOLOCAUST

UNCLAS ANKARA 000152 SIPDIS FOR EUR/OHI - GREG MATTSON; EUR/PPD E.O 12958: N/A TAGS: SOCI TU SUBJECT: CONGRESSIONAL REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON HOLOCAUST EDUCATION REF: STATE 348370 ¶1. As requested reftel, post contacted Curriculum Board (Board of Education) officials at the GOT Ministry of Education, which determines the national curriculum and sets guidelines for all textbooks used in public and private schools in Turkey. According to our contacts, there are a) no national requirements for teaching the Holocaust; b) no state or municipal guidelines for teaching the Holocaust; c) no special curricula that have been developed for Holocaust education; and d) no special text materials on the Holocaust being used in the schools. ¶2. Since the election of the AK Party government in November 2002, there have been many changes in the Curriculum Board membership and leadership of the Ministry of Education. A restructuring of the educational system is underway that includes the introduction of new textbooks. To what extent the Holocaust will be covered in an amended national curriculum and new textbooks is unknown. EDELMAN