Northern Sandzak – Esad Dzudzo signed approval for printing the controversial textbook with illustrations of the Prophet Muhammed, and, admitted he hadn’t examined it before it was published.
Džudža says he did it because he trusted in the opinion of the Board of Education BNF concerning the technical mandate, but accepts that it is his fault as well.
– They are guilty because they were required to review the entire textbook, and not just the text. Why as an editor, wouldn’t you revise the textbook from cover to cover. It was my fault because I was convinced that they did the job properly, so I let ‘Kletu’ print this textbook – said Dzudzo for ‘Blic’.
He admits he saw the illustration of the Prophet Muhammed pbuh for the first time just a few days ago. Dzudzo recently held a promotion and unveiling of the textbooks for 6th grade elementary schools, including the “History” textbook, yesterday he asked that it be immediately withdrawn.
Amir Dautovic and Redzep Skrijelj, former members of the Board of Education, and Elias Rebronja, former president of the Committee and editor of Bosnian textbooks, are under fire for this “scandalous act”.
Rejecting responsibility, all three claim that this while ordeal is about revenge and revanchism coming from Esad Dzudzo because three months ago, they were said to be leaving the Committee because they didn’t agreeing with some of his decisions.
– Our role is only to translate the textbook that has been used in teaching in Serbia to the Bosnian language. Otherwise, the textbook “History ‘, with all the illustrations of Muhammed, used in teaching for eight years, used by Bosniak children and we wonder why no one alerted the public until now – says Elijas Rebronja.
The publishing house “Klet” say they had sent out textbooks with all the illustrations and received positive opinions for printing.
If it is deemed that the textbook does not achieve the aims of education, it will be withdrawn. We have not received any request from the Ministry, but if we receive it, we shall withdraw the textbook says Aleksandar Marinkovic, an adviser at the Center for Development of curricula and textbooks, and adds to the Institute for the Advancement of Education has a positive opinion of the textbook along with the BNF in technical mandate.
SANA Agency
