Author: Staff Writer

Source: AFP

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jaagAk_W4--fhhzdOqLwq22CuDwg

Almost 20 years after the fall of communism, Bulgaria wants to reverse widespread ignorance about religion fostered under the old regime by making religious studies compulsory in schools.

The government's proposal, however, has churned up some stormy opposition to this long-time taboo.

Georgy Bakalov, who heads a team tasked by the education ministry with designing a syllabus, said the idea was to give "lay" instruction on basic facts about the history and views of the world's different religions.