Indonesia’s education law creates difficulty for Christian schools.

By September 16, 2003

Indonesia (MNN)– Voice of the Martyrs says a law passed this summer by the Indonesian Parliament targets Christian schools on the islands.

It forces schools with 10 or more students of any particular faith to be taught religious studies by a teacher of the same faith. Many Indonesian Muslim children attend Christian schools because their parents believe the quality of education is better than what is offered by the Islamic institutions. Therefore, if more than 10 students of the Muslim faith attend a Christian school, the schools will be forced to use its funds to hire Muslim teachers and construct mosques on campus.

VOM says the law is intended to curb the flood of Muslim students converting to Christianity each year. The group also warns the new requirements could heighten tensions between the Muslim majority and the Christian minority.

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