Dr Mahathir hits out at ‘too much Islam’ in schools

Updated 3 years ago · Published on 11 Feb 2021 9:59AM · 5 Comments

A religious education is to instil basic Islam in its teachings and values and should not come at the expense of pupils living in an increasingly tech-focused world, says Dr Mahathir Mohamad. – AFP pic, February 11, 2021.

THERE is an overemphasis on Islam in the national education system, coming at a cost of the type kind of education required in an increasingly challenging world, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The 95-year-old told Free Malaysia Today the current system makes it appear as if almost every pupil would be an ulama when schools should be focusing on technology and science instead.

“The overall emphasis on religion overshadowed what religious education was meant to do, which was to instil basic Islam in its teachings and values.

“Schools are increasing the number of periods to teach Islam beyond what an ordinary Muslim wants.

“Due to this, children do not learn other skills, especially science and maths, which are extremely crucial nowadays,” said the former prime minister, who served as the education minister in the 1970s.

According to him, there should be a balance between instilling Islamic values in pupils and the creation of an academic base that will allow them to succeed in the working world.

He blames a certain minister and civil servants for promoting religion in schools. The motive is to cater to the Malay base, he said.  

Last January, when Pakatan Harapan was still in power, Dr Mahathir told The Malaysian Insight more focus should be given to English, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in schools, and less lesson time for religious studies.

This, he said, is to equip pupils to be better prepared for the future.

Dr Mahathir, who was then acting education minister, said national schools have been focusing too much on Islamic studies, making them more like religious schools.

“Now, technology is the focus. You’re not going to have any jobs if you don’t study technology. You won’t get jobs if you study history, languages and stuff like that,” he told Free Malaysia Today. – February 11, 2021.

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Comments

  • Tun M you started it all. Something too little too late. No one will listen to you now. Sorry about that.

    Posted 3 years ago by Thomas Samuel · Reply

  • Very sad to hear from a muslim leader like Tun M. Islam is to instill moral values, to make student understand that corruption and theft is a sin. We need students with good attitude and moral understanding.

    Posted 3 years ago by Noor Azhar Kamaruddin · Reply

  • This I agree with Tun, but its way to late to change .

    Posted 3 years ago by Leanne Koo · Reply

  • We know the trend is not good to our fellow Muslim citizens and kind of dangerous and detrimental to the peace of the country, but what can we do? The politicians are the ones who lie and cheated the people and get their way to power.

    Posted 3 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Studying English Literature during the colonial era had an added advantage to make the learners' mastery of the English Language better. Islamic studies is usually done in Arabic language. How much of Arabic language is used in Malaysia, or even the world? In reading research, the term 'barking at words' is used to indicate reading without understanding.

    Posted 3 years ago by Citizen Pencen · Reply