G25, what about religious schools?

 No News Is Bad News

G25, what about religious schools?

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22, 2023: G25 retired civil servants has called for a comprehensive review of the school curriculum and the time allocated for core subjects.

In a statement, G25 recommended making religious education part of an after-school curriculum to allow more time to be spent on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

That is welll and good to help raise the standard of STEM education in Malaysia so that more competent and quality human capital can be produced.

But, what about the religious schools?

Prof James Chin of Tasmania University has raised a very pertinent point.

The 4,000+ religious schools (not including the unregistered ones) educate tens of thousands of Muslims with limited or no contact with non-Muslim Malaysians.

Is that why they are so suspicious of Chinese and Indians? National unity and harmony are compounded with politicians who exploit and use race and religion as tools for political mileage.

The future of Malaysia, in reality, is now thus decided by religious schools. Is that healthy for multi-racial Malaysia?

No News Is Bad News reproduces below what G25 was reported to have said in a statem,ent to the media:

Make some religious education part of after-school curriculum, says G25

G25 says this will allow students to spend more time on STEM subjects.

FMT Reporters22 Aug 2023, 3:49pm

G25 says primary school students spend an average of seven and a half hours a week on religious education.

 

PETALING JAYA: A group of prominent retired civil servants has called for a comprehensive review of the school curriculum and the time allocated for core subjects.

In a statement, G25 recommended making religious education part of an after-school curriculum to allow more time to be spent on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

“It is of the utmost importance that religious schools conform to the national education system to ensure students who attend only state religious schools are exposed to a well-balanced national education curriculum,” the group said.

G25 said the average time spent on religious education for primary school students is seven and a half hours a week, compared to five hours a week on mathematics and six hours a week on science.

The group also highlighted the lack of quality education in schools across the country and reiterated the importance of supporting teachers so they can build a positive learning environment for their students.

It added that state-controlled religious schools should be subjected to the Education Act 1996, which requires them to follow the national education curriculum and be monitored by the education ministry.

Meanwhile, G25 praised education minister Fadhlina Sidek for expanding the Rukun Negara Club to schools across the country, including private schools.

“It is timely that the education minister is giving attention to the application of the Rukun Negara in school culture so that the young generation can grow up to become responsible and broad-minded citizens,” it said.

G25 recommended the Rukun Negara Club also be set up in vernacular and religious schools that fall under the state Islamic religious councils.

The group also proposed that the Federal Constitution be taught at primary schools, along with Rukun Negara, as the two complement one another.

“This is so that students would be exposed at an early age to human values such as equality before the law, freedom of speech and expression, personal liberty, freedom of assembly and so on,” G25 stated.