What we teach our kids

In Azerbaijan the number one target group intended (for best purposes only) for government propaganda is students. Especially young ones, who have no idea whats going on, and who have disinterested, afraid, inattentive or simply careless parents to teach them, tell them, explain them, guide them otherwise. And so it should come as no surprise, that Azerbaijani kids, from their very young age are told that if it wasn't for the late President Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan would be... pretty much nonexistent or a rotten hole. 

This is the short story from the first grade textbook.

Basically the story is about this little girl (but more of a conversation between this little girl and someone who is old enough to be the girl's grandmother), whose name is Mehriban (I don't have to remind you who goes by this name in Azerbaijan) and Heydar Aliyev (nor do I need to remind you of who he was) and the importance of their names. But here comes the silver-lining, at the very end, the story takes on a twist, "It is thanks to Heydar Aliyev's strength that our Azerbaijan is nourishing. And that is why our nation will always remember him fondly". 

Its interesting how the story went from explaining the meaning of the name Mehriban and Haydar, to suddenly finding the girl looking at the statue of Haydar Aliyev and lastly praising him. I wonder if every story in this textbook has this kind of a twist.

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Systematic brainwashing (though at this stage of learning curve, calling this brainwashing would be wrong I suppose) that starts at that age, is bound to bring success in the future. The end result- generations of brainwashed (and this would be the right time to use this word) people, programmed to function under existing conditions, without questioning anything and only saying what needs to be said in certain moments. 

And then there is of course the condition of our education system. Though calling it condition would do it no justice, since there is a much better word for it- a syndrome. Its sick and its dying of cancer in the form of bribery and old Soviet style teaching. 

But then who says anybody is dying, all is good in the la-la-land of la-la-president on the shores of the la-la-sea. And everyone who lives there is happy...

2+2= 5 or how Azerbaijan Ministry of Education sees the future?

We all know that 2+2= 4 but what if your life depended on the answer you gave? This short movie below questions the authority, the fear, and conformity of young students at a school during a math class. 

Lesson learned? We often underestimate the importance of education. We stop caring about the quality, the ethics and impact. Certainly in Azerbaijan this has been the case. Once upon a time there was a country that attached grave importance to education, unfortunately, this is not the case anymore.

So let this short film serve as a reminder to our Ministry of Education, because surely, this is the future it wants to see in Azerbaijan! Or how else can it explain the levels of corruption at our schools and universities?

Misir Mardanov and his dynasty

I know, I write of corruption too often. This time its going to be about one particular minister and his expanding dynasty. 

Just few days ago, Azerbaijan Minister of Education, Misir Mardanov made a statement, where he promised to tackle the issue of corruption in education system of Azerbaijan and take all the necessary steps and precautions to get rid of this problem. 

So basically you are just now addressing the situation of corruption in education in Azerbaijan Mr. Mardanov? As if its something new? Because I haven't seen any progress, nor have thousands of Azerbaijani students who are forced to pay to their teachers to pass their exams and when they don't, they have to go through humiliation and only then get a "satisfactory" grade? Why would you make studying so miserable Mr. Mardanov? Is it because you don't have enough money stuffed away somewhere in your "educational" dynasty? Or you simply don't want to have students educated? 

Please don't say you've just learned about this. And what does it mean when you say "Azerbaijan is working to fight corruption in education"? Working how? Thanks to you and your successful work you have turned Azerbaijan's education system into a market of buyers and sellers! 

And so what statistics show that Azerbaijan's population is 90% literate?! You consider paid diplomas a symbol of literacy? Or doctors giving wrong prescriptions an example of literacy? Or accountants who don't have basic accounting knowledge as indicator for literacy? Oh no, I know, you consider teachers who teach their students how to steal and bribe more as an indicator? 

Dear Mr. Mardanov, your lies are indicative of only thing- your blindness! Open your eyes and for once speak of the truth and do something that is real and not just an empty statement!