Turkmenistan: Class on “Holy Rukhnama” Canceled in Universities
Mandatory course on the “Holy Rukhnama”, a philosophical and historic book of the first president Saparmurat Niyazov, is abolished from September 1, in all universities in Turkmenistan.
This year Rukhnama, which stands for Treatise of Spirituality, will be taught not as a separate course but together with other courses on history, political science, economics and Turkmen renaissance.
Published in 2001, Rukhnama was the main ideological product and a basis of political propaganda under the first president Saparmurat Niyazov. Rukhnama was considered a source of universal knowledge and gained the title “holy.”
All citizens of Turkmenistan were obliged to buy and study the book. Most of the universities have special departments on “Holy Rukhnama”, which virtually have been superseding courses on history, political science and philosophy. All students were required to pass test on Rukhnama for university entry exams.
The book has been translated into dozen foreign languages and has its special day in the calendar, September 12, which marks the day when Niyazov finished writing a “holy” book.
The incumbent President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, who was elected after unexpected Niyazov’s death in December 2006, has conducted profound reform of the education system, returning some disciplines that were considered unnecessary under Niyazov. Changing university and school curricula also forced to reconsider the role of Rukhnama in the education system.
In June 2007 Berdymukhammedov restored Academy of Sciences and PhD programs, as well as 10-year school and 5-year university education. Under Niyazov students studied only 9 years and were under qualified for most of the universities outside of Turkmenistan.