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
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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"
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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