Islamisation of national schools - a parent's view
Optimuz
Jan 8, 07 5:00pm Adjust font size:

Not that this is unknown or new. However, as a parent, I found it quite disturbing that this has reached an alarming state. Allow me to give you a first-hand insight.

We had enrolled our daughter at a national school in Bandar Sri Damansara for Primary 1. What was supposed to be an eagerly anticipated 'graduation' into formal schooling turned out to be a worrying scenario that has caused us to rethink our future in this country as well as our plans for our kids. We had, of course, heard of the instances of the growing Islamic influence in national schools and some horror stories to go along with it. But perhaps we underestimated the level of abuse that was occurring.

Orientation was conducted on Jan 2 and the very first horror story to greet us was that all children were required to attend Arab language classes. Don't get me wrong. I am of the opinion that learning a foreign language is beneficial. However, in this case, rather than it coming across as knowledge, it smells of propaganda and a subtle attempt to reinforce Islamic principles on us - Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

We insisted that our children be exempt from the class. What perplexed us the most was the lack of options presented for non-Muslim students. When we inquired, the response was that there were no teachers for other languages, namely Mandarin or Tamil. Also, it was told to us that the children need not worry about the Arab classes as it was purely language and there were no elements of religion in it - something that we came to discover was not true. This became apparent when this morning one of the parents chanced upon the Arab language teacher in class.

Prior to starting the lesson, the teacher made all the students rise and lift their hands to recite the 'Bismillah' prayer and other chants. There was no attempt to inform the non-Muslim students that they did not need to do so. Just imagine, these were impressionable seven-year-olds who have just come out of kindergarten. The fact that there was no regard for the rights of the non- Muslim kids by these teachers was just unbelievable!

One would easily be tempted to think that this was part of a bigger plan to influence non-Muslim children into embracing Islamic way of life. This should not be happening in national schools.

There was more to come. Not only was it necessary for the children (Muslims) to start off the assembly with a prayer (Islamic, of course), the teachers also made it a point to enforce this before and after recess. The students would be ushered out of the classrooms and be made to line up prior to visiting the canteen.

But just before that, the 'Bismillah' prayer is recited (there were attempts to inform the non-Muslims that they were not required to do so) and once recess is over, the Muslim students are again required to recite another prayer. All this is done together with the non-Muslim students. Would this not confuse a child that is eager to learn and yet be constantly reminded that they should not do this and that?

There's a lot more but I just wanted to highlight the crux of the matter. I just cannot comprehend the need for all this when, at the heart of the matter, is sound education and growth of the children that matters. The religious needs are already met by the Agama/Moral studies, so why the need for Arab classes? What is the objective of these programmes? Why is there no proper alternative for those who do not practice Islam?

What scares me the most is that this is being practiced or implemented at the national level. If this is the case, then why talk of national integration and a new education blueprint? How can you achieve this with so many divisive policies?

To say I am disappointed is an understatement. I just hope that common sense will prevail - but as they say, common sense is not so common after all.

The school later did accede to our request to have the children segregated during Arab classes, but after having one too many encounters with the lackadaisical attitude of the teachers, we are not convinced.


Taken From http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/61811

This post has been edited by Zack Styler: Jan 8 2007, 06:38 PM

this post has been edited prior to approval.

To me I don't really think Islamic religion could goes into your children's hearts. the media always airing those bad stuffs from the Islamic suicide bombers and extremists plus your children certainly are enough cleverer than those people.

Most of people in the world think that Islam is the religion of bombing and killing Jews and so forth. Furthermore in the Quran, it written

Tidak ada paksaan untuk (memasuki) agama (Islam)...
Al-Baqarah 256

Allah only take the chosen people to be a muslim.

Write a letter to that particular school. That's the best that ya can do.

Have you ever wonder what if they bring your children to the Church ? This is what felt by the angry parent.

Indeed, but while we're at it, the constitution ("rukunegara") says "belief in god". I don't know about now, but in my day all notebooks had the constitution on the back cover. Why aren't atheists writing to MK complaining about that ?

One is on action while another one is merely on text without any kind of enforcement.

If prayer or murmuring reflect your decision, my very 1st question, where are you? Does he or she belongs there ? couldn't he or she choose another playschool ?
Theres a english kindergarden having theism a way of life, nothing much. So how about the english methodist/ convent school ? Afaik the Arabic does cover lingustics and literature, you may call this 'Islamization' where I would say it was your Islamophobia dream OR state of being atheism.

Macamla tiada sekolah lain boleh dihantar .

You lost me a little bit there but i do hope you are not using the same rationale as the 'kalau tidak suka, keluar' statement....

The problem here is that it is a national school, me thinks, not a sekolah agama.

This post has been edited by madmoz: Jan 8 2007, 08:29 PM

but you have to remember...
church never force a kid to be a christian, however to join the fun...

eventhough they accept and laterr on they one to withdraw themself to be a christian, they have the right to choose. sames goes to buddhism, Hindu or any other religion, except...

The article clearly state that the student we teach on how to recite the 'Bismillah' prayer and other chants. Do you think we can consider this as linguistic and literature ?

Besides that, it is our right to choose our play school. The school should respect other religion follower, not we're the one who need to escape it from it. It is not sekola agama, but it is a nasional school. Afaik, if every one choose to transfer their child to another school, this will cause Islamophobia.

And have you been to any english methodist school, care to show me how they promote theism a way of life ?

I do not see any problem here...

All i saw is just a misunderstanding and at the end it had been sorted out.
This thread should be closed cause the case is solved. Further discussion will make matters worst

Of cause i knew about it, but i just wonder what will be Dajjal response.

encore: so u do state English Methodist/Convent school, which is clearly religious at its name. But then, Convent schools nowadays are merely an institution free of religious interference. And the parent sends her child to a NATIONAL school, and expects her child to receive the national curriculum, not religious education.

Very good answer here,but there is a loophole here--How do you explain where as n Public University, during the Officiating of a function the Bacaan Doa will be held in front of all-regarding Muslims and non-Muslims, why must it be done? If the opposite happens, like the emcee ask us to give our Thanks to Jesus before having our Dinner?I am sure there will be people shouting and yelling-ISLAM DALAM BAHAYA!!!

Macamlah kita orang ni tidak boleh bertolak ansur langsung

Arabic is a language sure. But what are they learning in Arabic? What's on the curriculum?

If Islamophobia is what the writer of the letter describes ie multiple religious prayers and incantations a day, at every opportunity... then Islamophobia it is.

I wonder if Muslims in Malaysia would experience Christianophobia (if there is such a word) if their kids were subject to Christian prayers, 6 or 7 times each day? And after that, lets have Buddhist and Hindu chants just for good measure. If they don't mind that, then I don't see a problem with what the letter writer described.

Btw, what kind of phobia would the fear of imaginary crosses on chocolate ice cream biscuits be?

no no no...
it is a very big problem...

why dun the class do the same thing as other religion?

ok, let's allow the islamic prayer to be first, then follow by the buddhist, hindu, christian and others as well....

IMO,it's good.
as long as the parents are understanding and want their children to be able to mix around without any racial/religious tension..

learning isnt wrong,and it is the parent's job to tell their children what is right and what is wrong.

IIRC, i've heard of such things(taking kids(regardless of religion) to Mosques,Churches,Temples,etc... ) happening in the UK and other countries.

i personally see no wrong with it.
it makes us understand each other better.

ofcourse,the teacher or guide must be disciplined or professional enough not to try and convert them.

OT:yeah,now here in BSD there are lots of schools...mornings are a big headache

Wow, you'd make a damn good Barisan National politician. That sounds exactly like just what one of those twits will say.

Do u think that wud be possible in a country called Malaysia? Tolerant it is... but reality is NO.

and that wud be very time-consuming as well.

They aint gonna baptist my children... for sure anyway it is one of our responsibilities to feed our children with a strong knowledge about religion and so on. Not only the crazy schools