Arabic in Catalan schools includes notions of Islam «as a religion of peace.»
The Arabic training programme in the schools controlled and funded by Morocco includes covert catechesis of Islam as the basis of Moroccan culture.
Example of one of the modules of the PLACM guide
Ministry of Education of Spain
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The Teaching guide for the Arabic and Moroccan Culture Programme (PLACM) makes it clear that the Arabic language is not taught in a neutral or instrumental way., but as a vehicle for transmitting Islamic cultural and religious values. The concept of “Moroccan culture” is understood as an indissoluble whole made up of the language, the religion and traditional values. This makes it impossible to separate linguistic knowledge from a specific worldview based on Islam. .
The religious curriculum of Arabic in schools in Catalonia
The curriculum states that students must know «the values of the Islamic religion as a religion of peace«, as well as their sacred sources (the Qur'an and the Sunnah), the biographies of the prophets and the “social, spiritual and human values”that are derived from it. . Islam is promoted as a religion that brings “harmony” and “balance”, and the student is encouraged to respect it as an ethical and spiritual reference..
This approach not only conveys information, but also makes a positive doctrinal assessment of this religion., own to a confessional subject rather than a cultural or linguistic one.
Islamic religion from the first level to the last
Already at A1 level, it is proposed that the students Know and identify the names of the prophets, religious celebrations such as Ramadan, and the values of Islam.. At the A2 level, it is about teaching “the message of Islam as a religion of peace and tolerance”. At level B1 The analysis of religious texts is used to promote “reflection and respect” for Islamic thought. .
All this is done without any warning that it is a religion, but within an apparently neutral cultural context. This form of transmission amounts to a catechesis disguised under the label of “culture”. In fact, He deliberately ignores that not all Moroccans are practising Muslims.There are also secular Moroccans, agnostics or people of other religions, whom this approach may exclude or make uncomfortable within the school setting.
The Prophet enters Catalan classrooms
The document includes specific sections for studying “the life of the Prophet Muhammad, the revelations of the Qur'an, the pillars of Islam and the importance of the Sunnah as a spiritual guide”. These contents are presented as exemplary facts, without any critical perspective or academic distance, which contradicts the principle of educational neutrality. .
This type of teaching can reinforce values and beliefs contrary to human rights and Western culture: for example, there is evidence indicating that The Moroccans' 82% declares itself homophobic. Therefore, teaching Moroccan minors in traditional Islam does not help them free themselves from these repressive frameworks, but may contribute to reproducing them.
Moroccan politics is also in Catalan classrooms.
This type of teaching can to reinforce values and beliefs contrary to human rights and Western cultureFor example, there is data indicating that The Moroccans' 82% declares itself homophobic. Therefore, teaching Moroccan minors in traditional Islam does not help them free themselves from these repressive frameworks, but may contribute to reproducing them.
The danger is not only religious but also political: The programme can serve as a tool of external influence in favour of a Moroccan national agenda.. We cannot know or control the dissemination of ideas about the Western Sahara conflict, Ceuta and Melilla that align with Rabat's official position. This concern is not new: A town in Guadalajara has already rejected the programme for these same reasons.. The El Casar town council also voted against the PLACM. for the risk of political indoctrination under the guise of cultural or linguistic training.
It should be remembered that Arabic is taught in Catalan (and Spanish) schools. It is designed, funded and controlled by the government of Morocco.. The only intervention by the Generalitat and the state is to install the facilities.
The aim is to fully integrate Arabic into the school timetable.
The PLACM guide states that, When there are enough students enrolled, the programme must be carried out during school hours (known as “Mode B”).. This is not an optional extra, but an explicit objective of the project: the inclusion of Arabic and Islamic content in the regular curriculum of the state school, on the same level as any other subject. This formula gives the programme institutional legitimacy and leads many parents to be unaware of the religious and ideological nature of the content taught.
In Catalonia, the Arabic teaching programme funded by Morocco already It is taught at four state schools during school hours., which demonstrates that the implementation of the model is not a theory, but a growing reality. This precedent opens the door to a progressive expansion of the programme within the mainstream education system, without public debate or democratic control.
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