Education Appraisal and Reform In 1956, the High Commissioner of the Federation of Malaya, with the agreement of the

Malay Rulers, appointed a committee to examine the conditions of non- government Islamic religious schools, and to make a recommendation for any financial assistance considered necessary.1 It is to determine the status of Islamic religious schools just prior to independence, it will be most useful to study the report submitted by the committee. Besides, the committee visited seventy- six non- government Islamic religious schools throughout the eleven states in Malaya. By this time there were 368 schools with 35, 093 students.2 The neglected condition of these Islamic schools was evident from the report prepared by this committee, which stated that what we saw and found during our visits to the schools was very saddening. Most of the school buildings were far from satisfactory. Furthermore, a great number had no separation between classrooms, which made teaching and classroom management difficult. Many of the schools had earthen floors. In addition, these schools had poor administration. Few of them had accurate financial accounts, and in most cases the schools are poorly financed. Several schools drew their income from waqf property such as rubber plantation, paddy- fields, and house rentals. That income was insufficient. Most school had additional income from irregular contributions; a few received financial aid and teachers from the religious department. The chief source of income for all the schools was school fees, which varied from RM1 to RM3 per month. Even this payment was uncertain, since parents were too poor to pay or did not appreciate the benefits of education. The teachers, especially those in schools that did not receive financial aid, were grossly underpaid. In general the graduate from these schools had nowhere to go. Only a few of the graduates could afford to go abroad for further study. A small number were engaged to teach in the non- government Islamic religious schools. A few lucky ones who pass the examination set by the religious department obtained employment as teachers in the government religious schools or as officers in the religious department. The Committee reported that there were morning session schools, afternoon session schools, and two session schools. The morning session schools drew students who could not get admission into government schools for various reasons, students who left government schools before completion, and students who were unable to continue their studies in other government schools due to various reasons. The afternoon session schools drew their students from those who were studying in government Malay schools or English schools where no facilities for religious study were provided or where religious teaching was inadequate, and those who left the

Malaysia, Report of the Committee to Consider Financial Aids to Non- Government Islamic Religious Schools, p. 1 Malaysia, Report of the Committee to Consider Financial Aids to Non- Government Islamic Religious Schools, Abdul Rahman bin Haji Talib, chairman, Kuala Lumpur: Government Printers, 1957, p. 15- 58

government schools after completing their studies (or earlier), with a view of making a living through religious education. On the other hand, the Committee expressed concern over the method of teaching that were below par and indicated that the source of the problem was most of the teachers did not have professional training and inadequate knowledge in the subject matter. There was no uniformity in the curriculum. The curriculum was prepared by religious department or councils or by the schools themselves. Some schools had no syllabus at all. Besides religious text books, there were readers and other educational books which were all written and published in foreign countries. Understandably these books had no Malayan content at all. The Committee found that the lessons taught in the non- government Islamic religious schools were all religious subjects. The content of the curriculum is limited and outdated. Very few schools taught English language, Malay language, and other subjects such as arithmetic, geography, and history. Most of the schools used Arabic texts, and Arabic and Malay languages were the medium of instruction. In some cases, the sole medium of instruction was Arabic, while in others it was Malay. The Committee believe that, with few exceptions, these religious schools could be considered only as primary schools. It alleged that those schools that taught up to secondary education had not met the necessary standards. In a majority of the schools, there are was no age limit for admission, and students who failed examinations were not terminated or disqualified. Realizing the contributions of these schools in the foundation of Islamic education and acknowledging their role in supply the ulama, the Committee considered it very important to subsidize them so they could function better in accord with the needs of the time and the country. The Committee believed that the quality of the schools could be improved with sufficient financial aid from the government. To remedy this threats, it advised the government to provide appropriate opportunities and employment to graduates of these schools and warned of the undesirable effects on the community, especially the Malays, if they were left behind in life. Related to this the Committee also recommended that these schools be given reasonable subsidies in order to relieve their financial crisis. The Committee also recommended the establishment of a section within the Ministry of Education that would be responsible for religious study in government schools and nongovernment schools that enjoy government assistance. It requested teachers training classes for teachers of Islamic religious subjects in government schools or government- aided religious schools. It urged the introduction of special legislation to enforce the registration of schools and teachers of religious schools and proposed the introduction of a common syllabus and examinations for these schools. As a result of these recommendations, some madrasah began receiving some form of financial assistance from the government. Of course this aid was not without further implication. Gradually, the madrasah had to change in some repects and accede to the wishes of the government, as will be seen later.

Last but not least, Islamic religious schools have evolved since the late nineteenth century from a loose, informal form represented by the Quranic school, to better organized residential pondok, and finally to the present more organized madrasah. Although the traditional pondok have almost disappeared, their contribution to the intellectual development of the Malays should not be underestimated. The pondok helped to clarify the Malays religious beliefs which were steeped in myths and legends, ushered in an era of rationalism, and cultivated the intellectual tradition. Literary activities of the pondok ulama, although consisting either of translation or summaries of works of great Muslim scholars outside the Malay Archipelago, led to the creation of jawi as an important medium of communication in the region. The Islamic reform movements that introduce the madrasah help to accelerate this process of strengthening the intellectual tradition and meeting the challenge of Christianity and Western culture. Finally, the Malays have always prized learning as a social and religious asset. Education to the Malays has always meant religious education. To learn to read the Quran is supreme. Only after this has been completed can the study of other things, such as their own language, be conducted. However, contact with the British, Chinese, and Indian in urban settings forced Malay intellectual to examine the social realities. This led to innovative ideas in religious school curriculum, but they were not well received by the mainstream. Most of the madrasah continue with the old curriculum which consisted primarily of religious subjects. The introduction of secular education heightened the importance of the madrasah as the last bastion for religious education. However, this role of upholding he religion could not be fulfilled completely when the madrasah were plagued with so many weakness.

Conclusion In conclusion, we have to recognize that the issue of Islamic education is very important for Muslims because it is not just a matter of acquiring knowledge for earning a living in this life, or for the purpose of the sharpening of the intellect for material pursuits. Islamic education is also intricately interwoven with faith for it is through education that deep belief in God and His Signs, the perfection of the soul, the purification of the personality, and wisdom and righteous conduct are developed. The Muslim community throughout the ages has endeavoured to seek a balance in the development of these elements in its educational system.