LONDON: Yemen鈥檚 union of teachers has denounced the Iran-backed Houthi militia鈥檚 takeover of the country鈥檚 schools and curriculum, and accused Tehran of using the education system to pursue a 鈥減olicy of cultural colonialism.鈥� 

Yahya Al-Yinai, head of media at the Yemeni Teachers Syndicate, told the Daily Telegraph that the Houthis have made hundreds of changes to the teaching curriculum since they seized power in a violent 2014 coup. He also said they have replaced nearly 90 percent of school principals with pro-Houthi allies.

Al-Yinai accused Iran of overseeing the changes, saying it is pursuing a 鈥減olicy of cultural colonialism鈥� by trying to introduce the 鈥渋deology of the Khomeinist revolution in Yemen through public education.鈥�

With military and economic assistance from Iran, the Houthis control roughly two-thirds of the Yemeni population.

A report by education watchdog IMPACT-se found that they have been using this position of power to foster hostility to the US, 萝莉视频 and other adversaries of Iran.

Around 3 million young Yemenis currently receive their education in Houthi-controlled parts of the country.

IMPACT-se found that the materials used to educate them are 鈥渞ife with violence and imagery of death, irrespective of the age of the target audience.鈥�

These images, which include pictures of dead children, are used 鈥渢o portray the Houthis鈥� enemies as monstrous and inhumane.鈥�

The organization found that through their signature magazine Jihad, the Houthis aim to indoctrinate Yemen鈥檚 next generation toward violence and extremism.

鈥淭he Houthi materials grossly violate the ideal of peacemaking, entirely dismissing peace as an option in international conflict resolution, and condemning those who advocate for it as cowardly, foolish or traitorous,鈥� IMPACT-se found. 

鈥淚nstead, violent jihad, sacrifice in battle, and supporting the war effort in any way possible is held up as an ideal and a central virtue.鈥� 

Marcus Sheff, IMPACT-se鈥檚 CEO, told Arab News: 鈥淒espite lip service to Yemeni nationhood, the Houthis are far more interested in radicalizing than in homogeneous education.鈥�

He said the violent and graphic Houthi education materials could have a lasting impact on children exposed to them.

鈥淎ny changes that radicalize 鈥� and traumatize 鈥� young children are significant,鈥� he added. 鈥淭hese changes fly in the face of those in the region who are trying to moderate curricula, not to incite violence and hate, as are the Houthis.鈥�

Arik Agrissi, chief operating officer at IMPACT-se, said: 鈥淭extbooks can act as either a barrier or blueprint to radicalization. In the Houthis鈥� case, it鈥檚 explicitly the latter.鈥�