More focus on STEM subjects and less time for religious studies, says Dr Mahathir

Noor Azam Shairi Noor Azam Shairi Updated 4 years ago · Published on 21 Jan 2020 7:00AM · 7 Comments

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is also acting education minister, says more focus will be given to English, science, technology, engineering and mathematics in schools instead of religious studies to better prepare pupils for the future. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, January 21, 2020.

MORE focus will be given to English, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in schools, and less lesson time for religious studies, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

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

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

“Many of the periods are devoted to teaching religion. We give sufficient periods to teach religion but the rest we must concentrate on STEM,” he said in Langkawi yesterday.

He said a Muslim student must not only grow up to be a good Muslim but also a knowledgeable Muslim.

“He (a pupil) will be a good Muslim but he must be a Muslim with knowledge, not a Muslim who can only quote from the Quran but doesn’t follow what is in the Quran.”

Dr Mahathir said he has already discussed the matter with former education minister Maszlee Malik who had already begun the transformation process during his tenure.

Maszlee had resigned on January 3 on the advice of the prime minister for allegedly making decisions that put the government in a difficult position.

Dr Mahathir also said the increasing focus on Islamic matters had caused pupils of other races to lose interest in national schools.

“They (national schools) have been converted to be religious schools. They have to come back to being national schools. National schools should be attractive to all races.”

The acting education minister also drew attention to the misunderstanding of Muslims about life in the world and the afterlife.

He said many parents seem to forget their responsibilities in the world and pay attention only to life after death.

“The fatalistic attitudes (depending on fate) of the parents are terrible. They were told about the afterlife but what about this life?

“Islam says we must not forget our role in the world. Yes, we can prepare for life after death but this world is just as important.

“Many of the education officers, they don’t know their religion. When someone says that this is the religion, they are not in a position to argue. They just accept.”

The Malaysian Insight had previously reported that the prime minister had asked Maszlee to begin the process of reviewing the school syllabus. This took place just six months after Pakatan Harapan took power.

He had also questioned why the younger generation lacked good values and integrity despite spending so much time studying religion.

The Malaysian Insight understands that the Islamic education subjects are taught six times a week in primary schools compared to 10 times each for Bahasa Melayu and English.

Maths is taught six times a week while it is four times a week for science subjects.

In April 2019, the National Education Policy Review Committee submitted reports and recommendations to the Education Ministry to improve the national education system.  The report is being refined at the ministry level, before being presented to the cabinet. – January 21, 2020.

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Comments

  • this should have started since day one no? is this too late? you should have got rid of black shoe minister long time ago....hope its not too late to salvage whatever is left.

    Posted 4 years ago by . . · Reply

  • Get back the GCE education policies which enable our children to choose what and where they want to study. Do not restrict the young minds with only religion, they are entitle to a space where ideas can flourish.

    Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • National schools can only be attractive to all Malaysians, if STEM subjects are given real importance in terms of number of periods per week and the quality of teachers. The SMK in Taman Tun where all my children studied was once the pride of the residents here. Today it looks like a one race school. The TTDI big mosque is 299 metres away from the school yet there is big surau in the school compound. Tun is embarking on a really big reform. It is not going to be easy.

    Posted 4 years ago by Citizen Pencen · Reply

  • Dr M should retire as PM and concentrate on building a national school system that appeals to all races. Include mandarin and Tamil as subjects - I bet you the Malays will take up mandarin as well.

    Posted 4 years ago by Kinetica Cho · Reply

  • Wow, now we know why our childrens education standards were below pars as compared to other foreign institutions. Our children should be excellent in religions! They only spent 4 sessions a week in science while 6 sessions for religion. While Maths were also have 6 sessions whilst only Bahasa Malays and English have 8 per week. Former minister should be sacked long ago!

    Posted 4 years ago by Chris Kwan · Reply

  • Finally, some sense in reforms that are so long overdue. This is just the first of many vital steps to restore the relevancy of our national schools, which sadly has deteriorated so badly it threatens the very survival of the nation

    Posted 4 years ago by Mike Mok · Reply

  • Dont be too happy readers still very early to know the Status of Msia Education System. TDM IS FAMOUS IN MAKING U -TURNS. Say something else Do something Else.

    Posted 4 years ago by Lucky Boy · Reply