TWO SIDES TO THE STORY - EDUCATIONAL CURRICULA IN BALKAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001154 SIPDIS SENSITIVE; SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY),SCA/PPD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ETRD TX KPAO ECON SUBJECT: TWO SIDES TO THE STORY - EDUCATIONAL CURRICULA IN BALKAN WELYAT SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) PAO Andrew Paul and P/E Assistant Murad Ovez-Mamedov visited Education Department officials and schools in Turkmenbashy and Balkanabat cities in Balkan Welayat September 18 and 19. Discussions with officials and teachers reflected a strict "party-line" on school curricula and English language teaching. Less formal but more frank discussion of the same issues occurred with a Democracy Commission grantee who is also a teacher. Key differences included questions of how new English teaching curricula are applied, the quantity of locally produced English language textbooks and the impact of nine school years (vice ten) and school hours committed to study of the Ruhnama. End Summary. OFFICIAL REPLIES: "WE'RE LIVING IN A GOLDEN AGE" -------------- --- ¶2. (U) PAO met with Turkmenbashy Hakim (municipal) officials, school administrators and English teachers at Turkmenbashy school #2 in a joint meeting; he held a similar meeting the following day with Balkan Welayat education officials and teachers at Balkanabat's one specialized school, which offers additional foreign language classes. Questions about challenges or problems created by the shortening of schooling to nine years, classes on the Ruhnama, and the re-introduction of English in grades 1-4 were met with overly positive and unrealistic answers that reflected an adherence to praise of the Golden Age. ¶3. (U) In both cities, the PAO was told that the change to nine years of schooling has actually improved the quality of learning. A hakim official in Balkanabat claimed that students were more motivated to study when they only have nine years. City officials claimed that there was not any decline in the quality of instruction in traditional subjects with either the cut in school years or the commitment of time to study of the Ruhnama. ¶4. (U) Officials in both locations emphasized that the Ministry of Education's (MOE) "excellent" curriculum for re-introducing English was being applied perfectly and equally in all of their schools. In addition, there was no shortage of qualified English teachers or new textbooks produced by the Ministry of Education, according to the same officials. When English teachers were asked about common problems of English language learning, the only teacher in Turkmenbashy who spoke English confidently avoided addressing problems at all. Although the PAO tried to explain the concept of unintended consequences that might occur with any change, including a change of curriculum, a Turkmenbashy hakim (municipal) official simply replied that all is well and "we're living in a Golden Age." ¶5. (U) Despite the facade of perfection in their English language programs, officials at both schools responded positively to PAO's suggestion that the post's English Language Fellow or other embassy programs could offer them assistance. ENGLISH IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO PROPOGANDIZE -------------- - ¶6. (U) Upon request, PAO was shown two of the recently printed English language textbooks developed by the MOE. The books focused almost exclusively on Turkmenistan, the Ruhnama, and the president. The level of texts appeared to be far above that of typical grade school language learners, and the methodology of the books was focused on grammar-translation exercises with minimal conversation practice. The president's new names for months and days are used in English in the textbooks. FURTHER REVELATIONS AT SCHOOLS' ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTERS -------------- -------------- ¶7. (U) In both cities, PAO was invited to visit the schools' English language centers. Both schools had a handful of aged computers available to approximately 1000 students total in both schools - neither school had Internet access or plans to obtain Internet. A school administrator in Balkanabat explained that students who want to access the Internet can find it in the "Bashkent Center," a Turkish-sponsored language and computer center, as if to imply that Internet in the schools was therefore unnecessary. ¶8. (U) General English books and videotapes available in the schools' English centers were largely donations collected by Peace Corps Volunteers. In contrast to the official textbooks, the titles were mostly young children's books and movies, such as simplified versions of "Pinocchio" or basic song books, or books of shapes and colors. When asked, one teacher noted that these books were appropriate to the students' level. (Comment: This seems to confirm that the official textbooks were far beyond their abilities. ASHGABAT 00001154 002 OF 002 End Comment.) ¶9. (U) In Turkmenbashy, PAO used the less formal setting of the English language center to approach other, less talkative English teachers directly. When asking open-ended but simple questions of one teacher (such as "how many students visit the center each day?"),her response was only a nod and a softly spoken "yes." Despite the presence of two of her English-teaching colleagues and PAO's slow repetition of the question, none could answer. Finally, the one confident English-speaking teacher answered from across the room on behalf of her bewildered colleagues. INFORMAL CONTEXT; CONTRARY INFORMATION -------------- ¶10. (SBU) In a less formal setting, a DemComm grantee who is a teacher provided strikingly different views of the same issues. In general, the grantee lamented the reduced time for studying traditional and practical subjects in order to make room for Ruhnama instruction, and noted the lack of Turkmen language texts or materials in those subjects. The grantee expressed some concern about the effectiveness of the recent reintroduction of English to the area schools and doubted that textbooks were available for all students. And in a direct contradiction to the official view, the grantee noted that area schools had introduced English this year only for students in grades 1-4, whereas hakimlik officials claimed that all of the area's schools had introduced English for grades 1-9. COMMENT -------------- ¶12. (SBU) Undoubtedly the official presentation of educational issues was influenced and tempered by the presence of the PAO's official Ministry of Foreign Affairs host. As a result, the official meetings proved to be instructive in how much officials and teachers can "toe the line" even if that means subverting common sense. The more realistic picture emerges from the revealing, yet limited materials in schools' English language centers, the lack of conversational English among English teachers and the insights gained from a less formal conversation with a teacher -- minus the minder. End Comment. BRUSH