Middle East / Africa North
EnglishConnect in Egypt
Summary
November 12, 2019
EnglishConnect 1, EnglishConnect 2, and Learn English Now
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an unregistered entity (the “Egyptian Church”), can carry out the EnglishConnect program in Egypt, as long as it is offered ONLY to non-Egyptian Church members, and not to the general public (see below). The EnglishConnect program will be part of the Self-Reliance activities already taking place in Egypt. We recommend that the Egyptian Church provide a disclosure to each participant that EnglishConnect courses will contain religious content, that they will not carry accredited value, and outlining the cost (if any) of EnglishConnect course materials.
The EnglishConnect program in Egypt was reviewed by local counsel. Based on that review, it should be operated with the following country-specific guidelines:
• EnglishConnect should only be offered to non-Egyptian Church members.1
• The Egyptian Church should not issue OGC-approved certificates of completion to participants who successfully complete EnglishConnect courses. Certificates of completion may only be issued by a registered entity in the country.
In addition to the country-specific guidelines above, the program should be operated in Egypt according to the following general program guidelines:
• No mass media advertising of the program targeting the general public:
○ I.e., no newspaper, radio, or broadly distributed social media advertising;
○ Handbills, posters, announcements in Church, or “pass-along” cards are acceptable.
• Obtain parental consent for each student 18 years old or under (using the parental consent form attached as Appendix A):
○ Obtain both parent signatures where possible;
○ If someone 18 or under is actually living on their own, parental consent is not needed.
• Provide every student a hard copy of the Church’s Privacy Notice (attached as Appendix B) and be sure they read it.2
• Do not charge any fees or costs to the participants for program participation:
○ Program materials can be provided for free (by on-line download where possible) or purchased through regular distribution channels by local units or directly by participants.
• At least one-third of all teaching must contain substantial religious content (i.e., religious content should take up 20 minutes of each hour of instruction or 30 minutes of each 90 minutes of instruction).
• Follow all local country standards for the vetting and calling of teachers of youth for any EnglishConnect teacher who will be teaching anyone under 21.
• Follow all program guidelines contained in the Leader and Teacher guides.
- Egyptian law prohibits any activity that could be seen as proselyting. As long as EnglishConnect in Egypt is limited to non-Egyptian Church members, it should not be in violation of this prohibition.
- If a student has registered online for EnglishConnect using a Church Account, he or she need not be provided a hard copy of the Privacy Notice.
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EnglishConnect in Jordan
Summary
August 9, 2019
EnglishConnect 1, EnglishConnect 2 and Learn English Now
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a foreign-based religion authorized to engage in religious activities in Jordan (the “Jordanian Church”), can carry out the EnglishConnect program in Jordan, as long as EnglishConnect is not accredited.1 The EnglishConnect program will be part of the Self-Reliance activities in Jordan. The Jordanian Church may issue OGC-approved certificates of completion to participants who successfully complete EnglishConnect courses. We recommend
that the Jordanian Church provide a disclosure to each participant that EnglishConnect courses will contain religious content, that they will not carry accredited value, and outlining the cost (if any) of EnglishConnect course materials.
The EnglishConnect program in Jordan was reviewed by local counsel. Based on that review, there are no country-specific guidelines for Jordan. The program should be operated in Jordan according to the following general program guidelines:
• No mass media advertising of the program targeting the general public:
○ I.e., no newspaper, radio, or broadly distributed social media advertising;
○ Handbills, posters, announcements in Church, or “pass-along” cards are acceptable.
• Obtain parental consent for each student 18 years old or under (using the parental consent form attached as Appendix A):
○ Obtain both parent signatures where possible;
○ If someone 18 or under is actually living on their own, parental consent is not needed.
• Provide every student a hard copy of the Church’s Privacy Notice (attached as Appendix B) and be sure they read it.2
• Do not charge any fees or costs to the participants for program participation:
○ Program materials can be provided for free (by on-line download where possible) or purchased through regular distribution channels by local units or directly by participants.
• At least one-third of all teaching must contain substantial religious content (i.e., religious content should take up 20 minutes of each hour of instruction or 30 minutes of each 90 minutes of instruction).
• Follow all local country standards for the vetting and calling of teachers of youth for any EnglishConnect teacher who will be teaching anyone under 21.
• Follow all program guidelines contained in the Leader and Teacher guides.
• Any mission that has never used English teaching as a contacting method must obtain specific OGC approval before beginning to use EnglishConnect materials, in order to avoid threats to missionary visas or the Church’s legal status.
- In 2010, the Ministry of Justice recognized the Jordanian Church as a foreign-based religion and authorized it to engage in religious activities. Although it is not a formal legal entity, it can carry out certain activities, including EnglishConnect.
- If a student has registered online for EnglishConnect using a Church Account, he or she need not be provided a hard copy of the Privacy Notice.
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EnglishConnect in Kuwait
Summary
November 12, 2019
EnglishConnect 1, EnglishConnect 2, and Learn English Now
The Kuwait Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an unregistered entity (the “Kuwait Ward”), can carry out the EnglishConnect program in Kuwait, as long as it offers the program ONLY to Church members. The EnglishConnect program will be part of the Self-Reliance activities already taking place in Kuwait. EnglishConnect should not be used as a missionary tool in Kuwait.
We recommend that the Kuwait Ward provide a disclosure to each participant that EnglishConnect courses will contain religious content, that they will not carry accredited value, and outlining the cost (if any) of EnglishConnect course materials.
The EnglishConnect program in Kuwait was reviewed by local counsel. Based on that review, it should be operated with the following country-specific guidelines:
• EnglishConnect should only be offered to Church members.
• The Kuwait Ward should not issue OGC-approved certificates of completion to participants who successfully complete EnglishConnect courses until it has an entity that is officially registered in the country.
• EnglishConnect groups should be advertised only by word of mouth, announcements at Church meetings, or handbills or posters inside Church buildings.
In addition to the country-specific guidelines above, the program should be operated in Kuwait according to the following general program guidelines:
• Obtain parental consent for each student 18 years old or under (using the parental consent form attached as Appendix A):
○ Obtain both parent signatures where possible;
○ If someone 18 or under is actually living on their own, parental consent is not needed.
• Provide every student a hard copy of the Church’s Privacy Notice (attached as Appendix B) and be sure they read it.1
• Do not charge any fees or costs to the participants for program participation:
○ Program materials can be provided for free (by on-line download where possible) or purchased through regular distribution channels by local units or directly by participants.
• At least one-third of all teaching must contain substantial religious content (i.e., religious content should take up 20 minutes of each hour of instruction or 30 minutes of each 90 minutes of instruction).
• Follow all local country standards for the vetting and calling of teachers of youth for any EnglishConnect teacher who will be teaching anyone under 21.
• Follow all program guidelines contained in the Leader and Teacher guides.
If a student has registered online for EnglishConnect using a Church Account, he or she need not be provided a hard copy of the Privacy Notice.
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EnglishConnect in Lebanon
Summary
February 27, 2020
EnglishConnect 1, EnglishConnect 2, and Learn English Now
Church Of Jesus Christ Association - Lebanon, a Lebanese Association (the “Association”), can carry out the EnglishConnect program in Lebanon as long as it is offered ONLY to Church members and not to the general public (see below). The EnglishConnect program will be part of the Self-Reliance activities already taking place in Lebanon. EnglishConnect should not be used as a missionary tool in Lebanon. The Association may issue OGC-approved certificates of completion to participants who successfully complete EnglishConnect courses. We recommend that the Association provide a disclosure to
each participant that EnglishConnect courses will contain religious content, that they will not carry accredited value, and outlining the cost (if any) of EnglishConnect course materials.
The EnglishConnect program in Lebanon was reviewed by local counsel. Based on that review, it should be operated with the following country-specific guidelines:
• EnglishConnect should only be offered to Church members.1
In addition to the country-specific guidelines above, the program should be operated in Lebanon according to the following general program guidelines:
• No mass media advertising of the program targeting the general public:
○ I.e., no newspaper, radio, or broadly distributed social media advertising;
○ Handbills, posters, announcements in Church, or “pass-along” cards are acceptable.
• Obtain parental consent for each student 18 years old or under (using the parental consent form attached as Appendix A):
○ Obtain both parent signatures where possible;
○ If someone 18 or under is actually living on their own, parental consent is not needed.
• Provide every student a hard copy of the Church’s Privacy Notice (attached as Appendix B) and be sure they read it. 2
• Do not charge any fees or costs to the participants for program participation:
○ Program materials can be provided for free by online download.
• At least one-third of all teaching must contain substantial religious content (i.e., religious content should take up 20 minutes of each hour of instruction or 30 minutes of each 90 minutes of instruction).
• Require instructors to complete the required Church training, “Protecting Children and Youth,” and follow all local country standards for the vetting and calling of teachers of youth for any EnglishConnect teacher who will be teaching anyone under 21.
• Follow all program guidelines contained in the Leader and Teacher guides.
- Lebanon’s Ministry of Education (the “MOE”) technically requires a license before an entity carries out certain educational activities. But local counsel advised that the MOE is not enforcing this requirement as long as such activities are conducted on a limited and discreet basis. In 2017, the Middle East Desk decided to allow service missionaries to teach English classes. Because Self-Reliance activities, including EnglishConnect, include gospel principles, they should only be offered to Church members to avoid running afoul of prohibitions on proselytizing in the country and to further ensure that these activities remain discreet.
- If a student has registered online for EnglishConnect using a Church Account, he or she need not be provided a hard copy of the Privacy Notice.
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EnglishConnect in Morocco
Summary
February 5, 2023
EnglishConnect 1, EnglishConnect 2, and Learn English Now
Because there is no legal entity associated with the Church that is currently registered in Morocco, we inquired as to whether Church members and potentially other interested individuals, like friends of Church members, can participate in EnglishConnect novice programs online, hosted from abroad.
We do not recommend proceeding with such a program based on the following considerations:
- Moroccan Criminal Code: Even if materials are not intended for Muslims and specifically indicate as much in the materials themselves, if they are intentionally or unintentionally distributed to Muslims this would likely violate Moroccan Criminal Code provisions prohibiting proselyting to Muslims and harming Islam in general. In that event anyone involved in the production, promotion or distribution thereof could be held criminally liable. There has been an increase in recent years of enforcement of these criminal provisions in connection with online materials or comments made from abroad. Therefore, while theoretically a program online from abroad that neither involves Muslim attendance nor the distribution of materials to Muslims would not violate Moroccan Criminal Code protections of Islam, there would be a risk of severe criminal consequences associated with such a program.
- Moroccan Associations Law: Conducting an online class for EnglishConnect from abroad would likely violate the provision requiring religions conducting activities in Morocco to first register in the country. Notwithstanding that requirement to register, local counsel opines that any attempt to register would likely be denied.
- Moroccan Private Instruction Law: While the two considerations above are the primary considerations, the Private Instruction Law may provide the Moroccan government with additional grounds to prohibit an online EnglishConnect novice program hosted from abroad.
EnglishConnect 3
The advice above does not apply to BYU-Pathway Worldwide (“BYU-PW”) and its offering of EnglishConnect 3. For information regarding BYU-PW’s EnglishConnect 3 program please reference InfoGuide.
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EnglishConnect in Oman
Summary
November 12, 2019
EnglishConnect 1, EnglishConnect 2, and Learn English Now
The Oman Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an unregistered entity (the “Oman Branch”), can carry out the EnglishConnect program in Oman as long as it is offered ONLY to Church members and not to the general public (see below). The EnglishConnect program will be part of the Self-Reliance activities already taking place in Oman. EnglishConnect should not be used as a missionary tool in Oman. We recommend that the Oman Branch provide a disclosure to each participant that EnglishConnect courses will contain religious content, that they will not carry accredited value, and outlining the cost (if any) of EnglishConnect course materials.
The EnglishConnect program in Oman was reviewed by local counsel. Based on that review, it should be operated with the following country-specific guidelines:
• EnglishConnect should only be offered to Church members.
• EnglishConnect groups should be advertised only by word of mouth or announcements at Church meetings. If the Oman Branch shares its meetinghouse facility with other faiths, there should not be any physical advertising of Self-Reliance activities within Church buildings.
• The Oman Branch should not issue OGC-approved certificates of completion to participants who successfully complete EnglishConnect courses.
In addition to the country-specific guidelines above, the program should be operated in Oman according to the following general program guidelines:
• Obtain parental consent for each student 18 years old or under (using the parental consent form attached as Appendix A):
○ Obtain both parent signatures where possible;
○ If someone 18 or under is actually living on their own, parental consent is not needed.
• Provide every student a hard copy of the Church’s Privacy Notice (attached as Appendix B) and be sure they read it.1
• Do not charge any fees or costs to the participants for program participation:
○ Program materials should be provided for free by online download.
• At least one-third of all teaching must contain substantial religious content (i.e., religious content should take up 20 minutes of each hour of instruction or 30 minutes of each 90 minutes of instruction).
• Require instructors to complete the required Church training, “Protecting Children and Youth,” and follow all local country standards for the vetting and calling of teachers of youth for any EnglishConnect teacher who will be teaching anyone under 21.
• Follow all program guidelines contained in the Leader and Teacher guides.
EnglishConnect 3
As of the date of this summary, the PathwayConnect and EnglishConnect 3 review in Oman is still ongoing.
If a student has registered online for EnglishConnect using a Church Account, he or she need not be provided a hard copy of the Privacy Notice.
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