President al-Bashir has told state governors to convert primary schools into religious institutions teaching children the Moslem holy book the Koran. (Religious lessons have been compulsory since there is an official curriculum. V.S.) 
Bashir, announcing the plan at a graduation ceremony for primary and nursery school teachers, said “his government aimed to change society to enable it to live in accordance with the teachings of the Koran”. 
Some two million southerners displaced by the 16-year-old civil war are thought to live in the capital, and Christians among them were alarmed by Bashir's order. Though none would speak openly, they denounced his statement as a threat to their religion. 
``We thought the recent removal Hassan al-Turabi from the centre stage of Sudanese politics would make the government more tolerant of other religions but it appears nothing has changed,'' one teacher told Reuters. 
Khartoum state governor Mazjoub al-Khalifa said his state ``...plans to transform all (basic) schools in Khartoum state into Koranic schools by the start of year 2002.'' There are now 420 Koranic schools in Khartoum state with 41,722 pupils. (There are nearly 49,000 children in schools for displaced at the outskirts of Khartoum. V.S.)