Historians are not happy with the cut of teaching hours of the history of Azerbaijan

Baku/25.07.20/Turan: The program on the history of Azerbaijan is gradually being reduced in Azerbaijani schools and universities. Professor Elmira Muradaliyeva reports that the history faculty of Baku State University (BSU) "cut the hours on the history of Azerbaijan and the history of the Turkic peoples, while the history of the Slavic peoples (practically the history of Russia), which has nothing to do with our ethno-genesis, cultural ties, remained untouched."

“I wrote that the course “History of Azerbaijan” is being canceled in universities and a new course “History of Azerbaijani statehood since 1918” has been introduced). Moreover, the opinion of university teachers and experts has not been taken into account.  There is one argument - the standardization of education according to the European model. I have a big question: why is the quality of our whole life, starting with salaries and ending with medical insurance, not according to the European model? To cancel the course "History of Azerbaijan" especially in the current conditions of territorial and ideological war with the Armenians - is similar to the death of the people! Over the years of independence, we still have not learned to love truly our homeland; and now they want to cut off the young people the awareness for this love. Where should we look for the enemy? ", asks E. Muradaliyeva in FB.

“It is wildness,” answered her the historian Arif Yunusov. The hours of teaching history of Azerbaijan was not cut even in Soviet times. Do they want to do it now in independent Azerbaijan? Who came up with such criminal delirium? A historian Dilavar Azimli raised the problem to the level of the president. He appealed to the head of state with an open letter published in Miq.Az. The appeal begins with a reminder of the blunders in Azerbaijani history textbooks, both for secondary schools and universities. He is surprised that if in Soviet times the history of Azerbaijan was taught at Baku State University for three years, and then another two years of a special course, why is this course now rapidly decreasing.

The course of the history of Azerbaijan suffered heavy losses under the Minister of Education Jeyhun Bayramov. At first, at non-historical faculties, the course "History of Azerbaijan" was reduced to 48 academic hours, then it was replaced by the course "History of modern statehood of Azerbaijan", which begins in 1918.

After historians appealed to the Ministry of Education, the course "History of Azerbaijan" in non-historical faculties expanded to 60 hours, but without teaching the history of the ancient and Middle Ages. Only the modern history of Azerbaijan was included in the course. At the history faculties, the course on the history of Azerbaijan has been reduced from 315 to 210 hours. The biggest blow was dealt to the course "History of Turkic peoples", reduced from 195 to 75 teaching hours. The freed up time was devoted to teaching English.

The historian draws a direct causal link between the reduction in teaching the history of Azerbaijan, the political illiteracy of young people and the defeat of Azerbaijanis in the information war with the Armenians. Dilavar Azimli calls on historians to hold a virtual conference, create a working group to meet with the Minister of Education and leaders of the country.

Sevil Bayramova, the methodologist and author of textbooks and programs on history from the Pedagogical University named after Tusi, told Turan that the reduction of teaching the course "History of Azerbaijan" is taking place in accordance with the new, European format of education adopted in the country ("Bologna education system" which Azerbaijan joined in 2005). Pupils and students cannot master the constantly growing volume of information, and therefore young people are taught to independently find and master the knowledge that they need in their professional life.

Azad Rzayev, head of the Department of History of Azerbaijan in Baku State University, advised Turan to wait for the approval of the new program in the Ministry of Education. "Let's not rush while nothing is known for sure," advised A. Rzayev. — 0—