- Title: KYRGYZSTAN: Kyrgyz city bans Valentine's Day in schools
- Date: 14th February 2014
- Summary: OSH, KYRGYZSTAN (FEBRUARY 14, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ON STREETS BUYING FLOWERS PEOPLE ON STREETS STANDS WITH FLOWERS EXTERIOR OF OSH CITY EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION OSH CITY EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION SIGN HEAD OF OSH CITY EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION AKYLBEK AKZHOLOV SPEAKING TO JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (Kyrgyz) HEAD OF OSH CITY EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION AKYLBEK AKZHOLOV, SAYING: "We do not have a law that forces us to celebrate Saint Valentine's Day. This is an unofficial holiday. Our main objective is the study process." AKZHOLOV SPEAKING TO JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (Kyrgyz) HEAD OF OSH CITY EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION AKYLBEK AKZHOLOV, SAYING: "This holiday can be celebrated by university students, young couples, but not by school children." VARIOUS OF CITY VIEWS EXTERIOR OF OSH PUBLIC SCHOOL NUMBER 9 VARIOUS OF LESSON IN PROGRESS PUPILS LISTENING PUPIL SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) OSH PUBLIC SCHOOL N9 PRINCIPLE MANZURA ASLANOVA, SAYING: "A few years ago, about two or three years ago, (children) started celebrating this holiday. Children bring presents, toys, cards on that day. They ask to deliver mail from classroom to classroom. They have boxes where everyone can drop their confessions. What is the purpose of that? This is not understood correctly. Our mentality is not ready for such holidays." VARIOUS OF PUPILS IN SCHOOL (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) OSH PUBLIC SCHOOL N9 PUPIL SITORA AZAMOVA, SAYING: "I do not celebrate this holiday because my goal is to study at the moment. I want to graduate from the school, go to the university. I will have time to fall in love and someday I will be celebrating this holiday, but at the moment I don't." CAR WITH HEART-SHAPED BALLOONS ON FRONT WINDOW PULLING IN OSH RESIDENT NIYAZ KASYMOV GETTING OFF CAR (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) OSH RESIDENT NIYAZ KASYMOV, SAYING: "I know that it is Saint Valentine's Day today, it's all lovers day. I have a girlfriend, so ever since this morning I have been decorating the car. I want to see her and congratulate her." RED HEART-SHAPED BALLOON ON CAR'S FRONT WINDOW VARIOUS OF CARS ON STREET VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ON STREET
- Embargoed: 1st March 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Kyrgyzstan
- Country: Kyrgyzstan
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA6OELSCZYX10YKI0PJT8BABNGG
- Story Text: The educational department of the city of Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan introduced a ban on celebration of the Valentine's Day on Friday (February 14) in all city schools.
Saint Valentine's day or the day of romantic love is traditionally celebrated on February 14 each year in many countries although it does not enjoy the status of an official holiday in most of them.
Osh educational authorities have ruled to give it an official non-holiday status in schools under their authority.
"We do not have a law that forces us to celebrate Saint Valentine's Day. This is an unofficial holiday. Our main objective is the study process," said the head of Osh city education administration Akylbek Akzholov.
"This holiday can be celebrated by university students, young couples, but not by school children," he added.
The department was quoted by local media as saying that the holiday was bad for "children's morality" as one of the explanations for the ban.
Though a novelty to the predominantly Muslim Kyrgyzstan, the holiday has become quite popular at schools before the ban.
"A few years ago, about two or three years ago, (children) started celebrating this holiday. Children bring presents, toys, cards on that day. They ask to deliver mail from classroom to classroom. They have boxes where everyone can drop their confessions. What is the purpose of that? This is not understood correctly. Our mentality is not ready for such holidays," explained a secondary school No 9 principal Manzura Aslanova.
All school principals were ordered to make sure there were no Valentine's card mailboxes in hallways.
And the persuasive ban seemed to have its effect at least for the time being.
"I do not celebrate this holiday because my goal is to study at the moment," said Sitora Azamova, a student at school No 9.
"I want to graduate from the school, go to the university. I will have time to fall in love and someday I will be celebrating this holiday, but at the moment I don't," she added.
However, for those already in love a ban does not seem to pose any problem.
"I know that it is Saint Valentine's Day today, it's all lovers day. I have a girlfriend, so ever since this morning I have been decorating the car. I want to see her and congratulate her," said Niyaz Kasymov standing by his car colourfully decorated with heart-shaped balloons.
Each year on February 14, many people exchange cards, gifts or flowers with their special "valentine." The day itself is named after a Christian martyr and dates back to the 5th century. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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