VZCZCXYZ0020
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHZP #1081 1762155
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 252155Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0692
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 001081 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SOCI PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA:  EMBASSY INITIATES NEW OUT-REACH TO MUSLIM 
SCHOOL 
 
 
Classified By: POLCOUNS Brian R. Naranjo.  Reason:  1.4(b) and (d). 
 
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 SUMMARY 
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¶1. (C)  EMBOFFs visited for the first time a traditional 
Muslim school (madrasa) in Aguadulce, Cocle Province on June 
¶21.  Representatives from the Embassy's Political and Public 
Diplomacy sections donated English-language books and 
discussed a possible opportunity for students to participate 
in a cultural exchange for Muslim students to visit 
Washington.  (Note:  The school requested English-language, 
not Arabic-language, books.)  While the school bills itself 
as providing a traditional Muslim education as well as 
providing a secular education, EMBOFFs, who were warmly 
received, saw scant evidence that any meaningful secular 
education was indeed part of the curriculum.  End summary. 
 
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EMBOFFs Reach Out to Madrasa 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU)  In its latest out-reach effort to Panama's Muslim 
community, EMBOFFs visited for the first time a madrasa in 
Aguadulce in Cocle province where they donated 
English-language books.  Established seven years ago, the 
school has thirty-seven students and seven teachers (all 
male).  Most of the students are second generation Gujarati 
Indian Sunni Muslims.  The teachers are clerics, educated in 
India and England.  Before the visit, the school's teachers 
told EMBOFFs that, although they emphasized teaching and 
learning about Islam, academic subjects like math and science 
were taught and highly regarded.  They explained that half of 
the school day was spent on religious learning and the other 
half was spent on academic subjects.  The school officials 
also told us that most of the children were between the ages 
of 12 and 18. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Students and teachers were dressed in traditional 
Muslim clothing and were seated at low-level tables on the 
floor.  Teachers told EMBOFFs on June 21 that the school was 
essentially a religious school where students memorized the 
Koran in its entirety, normally a two to three year task. 
The school contracted non-Muslims to teach academic subjects 
such as math one to two times per week. Teachers stated that 
once students finished this particular madrasa, they either 
went to the UK for further Islamic study if they came from 
more affluent families or to India if they came from more 
modest families.  They also stated that students were able to 
obtain a certificate from the school and to pursue secular 
study at the University of Panama.  Although we were 
originally told that the age range for boys in attendance was 
12 to 18 years, one teacher told EMBOFFs that his son, who 
attended the school, was 10.  Students, roomed 4-5 to a room, 
live at the madrasa for about 2 months before receiving 1 
month of vacation.   At the school, students have little 
contact with the outside world as there are no televisions or 
radios at the school. 
 
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Comment 
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¶4. (C)  At first glance, it appears that only lip service is 
paid to the school's secular curriculum.  Given the that the 
majority of their time is spent on Islamic studies, these 
students will have difficulty integrating into Panamanian 
society, if that is indeed their objective. EMBOFFs were 
warmly greeted by teachers and students, and post will 
continue to develop ties with this madrasa and the wider 
Panamanian Muslim community. 
EATON