Parents have slammed the education ministry for approving grade 8 English textbooks with an exercise on identifying mythical gods.

The ministry has since said that the textbooks do not violate Islamic values.

The seventh and eighth page of the textbook has an exercise on how the planets in the solar system, except for earth, were named after ancient Greek and Roman gods and goddesses.

State Minister Mohamed Shafeeu said that knowing how planets were named is important, and that the students clearly know that Greek and Roman gods are fictitious.

Shafeeu said that the textbook has already been checked, while preparing the curriculum, to be in accordance with Islamic doctrine.