批评家称土耳其世俗教育受到攻击.docx

This is the VOA Learning English Education Report.
Education is a growing issue of dispute in Turkey between those who support religion and government and those who oppose it. Opponents are criticizing Turkey's National Education Council for its proposal to require religious classes in schools. The two sides also dispute a council-supported plan to begin what it calls "values education" for the youngest students. 
In addition, the main opposition group in Turkey, the Republican People's Party has objected to a proposal to teach the Ottoman language in schools. Turks no longer speak the language. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejects the criticism. 
He says people will learn and teach the language. The National Education Council advises Turkey's Ministry of Education. The council called for required religious classes in high schools to be changed from one to two hours weekly and extended to all ages. 
Cengiz Aktar writes about politics for the newspaper Zaman Today, and teaches at Suleyman Sah University. He says the reforms fit well with president Erdogan's goals.
"For years, Erdogan wanted to create a new, pious youth, ethically correct according to the canons of his mind and his lecture of Islam, and he is just putting this into practice," Aktar said.
Religious schools in Turkey are known as imam hatips. The number of these schools shortly increased during Mr. Erdogan's leadership as prime minister. In 2004, 65,000 children attended them. Now that number is more than  one million.
The schools provide 13 hours weekly of religious training. Boys and girls are separated in the schools. In recent years, many non-religious schools have become imam hatips. A mother said many times parents receive no warning of such change. 
The changes have led to protest in Istanbul. Mr. Erdogan argues that religious education offers an answer for social problems children face, including illegal drugs and racism.
Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate governs Islam in the country. A top official with the agency says that the policy of a religiously neutral government is weakening religious life in Turkish society. 
Istar Gozaydin is an expert on religion and the state at Dogus University in Istanbul. She says the government is changing Turkish society.
"The Presidency of Religious Affairs is being more active in, for example, hospitals, women's shelters. So apparently a more conservative society is being tried to be constructed. However, there is not much respect for the freedom from religion," Gozaydin said.
And that's the VOA Learning English Education Report. I'm Jonathan Evans. 

这里是美国之音慢速英语的教育报道。
在土耳其，教育逐渐成为支持或是反对宗教和政府的争论的焦点。反对者批评土耳其全国教育委员会要求学校开设宗教课程的提议。双方还在委员会所支持的所谓对小学生进行“价值观教育”的计划进行了争论。
除此之外，土耳其最主要的反对派——共和党人反对在学校教授奥斯曼语言的提案。土耳其人已经不说这种语言了，土耳其总统Recep Tayyip Erdogan拒绝接受这一批评。
他说人们会学习和教授这门语言，国家教育委员会向土耳其教育部提出建议。委员会呼吁高中的宗教课程应该从每周一小时增加为两小时，并扩展到各年龄段的学生。
Cengiz Aktar为Zaman Today报纸写政治报道，他在Suleyman Sah 大学任教。改革符合Erdogan总统的目标。
Aktar称“多年来，Erdogan总统希望根据他的想法和伊斯兰教的理念培养一批新一代的虔诚的，道德观正确的青年，他只是把这个目标付诸实践。”
土耳其的宗教学校被称为imam hatips。在Erdogan担任总理期间，这样的学校就迅速增长。2004年，6万5千名孩子上了宗教学校。如今这个数字已经超过100万人。
这些学校每周提供13小时的宗教训练。男生女生分开上学。最近几年，很多非宗教学校变成imam hatips。一位学生的母亲说很多家长没有收到这样变化的警告消息。
这种变化在伊斯坦布尔引发抗议。Erdogan称宗教教育为包括非法毒品和种族问题在内的一些社会问题提供了一个解决方案。
土耳其的宗教事务局管理该国的伊斯兰教。宗教事务局的一位高层官员称对宗教保持中立的政府的政策弱化了土耳其的宗教生活。
Istar Gozaydin是一名宗教专家，同时还是伊斯坦布尔Dogus大学的国家事务研究员。她表示政府正在改变土耳其社会。
Gozaydin说：“宗教事务的主席在医院、妇女避难所的活动越发活跃。所以，很明显，一个更保守的社会正在构建。然而，宗教并没有对自由多少尊重。”