US embassy cable - 05DJIBOUTI246

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000246 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/E 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID 
NAIROBI FOR REDSO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, SCUL, SOCI, DJ, SA 
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI SEEKS ASSISTANCE IN MONITORING ISLAMIC 
SCHOOLS 
 
REF: DJIBOUTI 149 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
 1. (C) During Ambassador and USAID Director's February 23 
call on Minister of Education Abdi Ibrahim Absieh (see 
septel), the Minister informed us of his concern that his 
Ministry lacked knowledge of and control over the country's 
growing network of Islamic schools.  These schools, he said, 
which provide instruction in Arabic, with a healthy dose of 
religion as focal point, have been out of the reach of 
government regulation.  According to Absieh, 12,000 children 
attend the 55 such schools currently in operation.  He 
expressed fear that they could become breeding grounds for 
terrorists. Absieh described the schools under Yemeni 
direction as "progressive", but said this was not the case 
for those under Egyptian and Saudi direction. 
 
2. (C) Absieh continued that his ministry was unaware of the 
kind of curriculum being taught at these schools and that 
better control was needed.  He requested assistance from the 
U.S. in developing a strategy and action plan for dealing 
with these schools, as well as a curriculum, that would track 
those of other private schools operating in Djibouti, 
including those conducted by French private organizations. 
Absieh cited specifically the Saudi-directed institution 
located in close proximity to the Ministry of Education where 
500 students are believed to be enrolled.  "We have no idea 
what is taught in this school," he said, "and it does not 
follow our curriculum."  He said he has invited Yemeni 
experts, who will arrive soon to work in his ministry, to 
propose a curriculum and criteria for training that will 
ensure a quality education for Djibouti's youth and better 
equip his Ministry to evaluate these schools. Ambassador 
pledged to consult with USAID and get back to Absieh on the 
issue. 
 
3. (C) Comment:  At the outset of its education program in 
Djibouti, USAID hired an outside consultant to assess 
Djibouti's Islamic schools.  The consultant was eventually 
blocked from these schools as an "American spy."  His terms 
of reference are still in USAID files here.  While the 
progressive Minister of Education is cognizant of the 
challenges posed by the independent operation of Islamic 
schools, the government of Djibouti lacks the political will 
to move deliberately to challenge them.  The schools often 
fulfill a genuine need the government is unable to provide. 
In virtually all cases, the schools in question have been 
built, furnished, managed and funded with no contribution 
from the government of Djibouti.  In the case of Saudi 
schools, the curriculum follows that of the concerned 
ministry in Saudi Arabia, be it religious affairs or 
education.  Informal efforts by Djibouti to regularize these 
schools, as laid out in its education reform plan, have been 
rebuffed by those who control the schools.  Djibouti is 
gambling that the U.S.'s vested interest in preventing the 
spread of extremist ideology might help push the U.S. to the 
forefront of Djibouti's own effort to control these schools. 
We and Djibouti will need to tread carefully as we discuss 
the potential to assist in this area.  End comment. 
RAGSDALE