Scientific evaluation of religious symbols and clothes in schools from children and adolescent psychiatric experts – Cyprus Newspaper

The Turkish Cypriot Medical Association and the Turkish Cypriot Turkish Physicians Union explained scientific views on the effects of the use of religious symbols and clothes in educational institutions on children’s developmental processes.

In a statement prepared with the contribution of child and adolescent psychiatric experts, it is stated that educational institutions are not only the places where information transferred, but also the basis of the individual’s identity development and social orientations. For this reason, it was emphasized that educational environments should be able to support all children inclusive, neutral and psychosocial development.

The statement stated that children were extremely open to environmental effects in cognitive and social development processes:

“Children during certain developmental periods live the need for belonging and approval intensively. This process varies according to the ethnic origin and cultural characteristics of children. Different cultural elements or practices that children may encounter during certain developmental periods are different from their own family structures and belief systems. Making visible can trigger the perception of being ‘non -norm’ in other children.

According to UNESCO’s “Inclusion and Equity in Education” report, one of the basic elements of the inclusive education is that the educational environment is religious and ideologically impartially, “The creation of a learning atmosphere that can express themselves, and the creation of a learning atmosphere away from any oppression is the priority of all modern education approach. Pedagogical neutrality is at the risk of damaging. ”

Developmental psychologists such as Jean Piaget and Michael Tomasello emphasized that children can reach cognitive maturity that can make their own decisions only in the late adolescence. expressions were used.

In the statement stated that secular education accepts all individuals equally without any belief or disbelief superior or incomplete, the principle of secularism is not the individual; It was recorded that the public sphere pointed out the impartiality. The statement said that the fact that religious symbols are visible in public spaces such as schools, carries the potential to harm the pluralistic structure of the education system.

At the end of the statement; “Schools remain in a neutral and inclusive structure. Religious symbols and clothes are not encouraged institutionally in the school environment. Children’s psychosocial development prioritizing the priority and opening up to grow up as free individuals” was called.

That the explanation does not target any belief group; It was emphasized that child rights prioritized secular education and social peace based on pedagogical principles.