KUALA TERENGGANU: TAHFIZ and religious schools nationwide are known to solely emphasise on religious studies alone, but a madrasah in Tok Jiring, here, has introduced Science subjects to their curriculum in a bid to produce well-rounded students.
Ma’ahad Tahfiz Wal Tarbiyyah Darul Iman Tok Jiring principal Muzaihar Kamal Mustapa Kamal said the school’s pilot project launched this year would complement its unique Integrated Tahfiz System syllabus.
The Tahfiz System in the secondary school comprises three components — Quranic memorisation, academic studies and Islamic studies.
Muzaihar said the main purpose of adding Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Additional Mathematics is to allow students to achieve their aspirations in mastering the Quran while excelling in the fields of Science, with the ultimate goal of producing students who could further their studies in medicine.
Muzaihar, who has been heading the privately-owned madrasah for two years, said this approach would benefit students who had the potential to further their studies in reputable universities in middle-eastern countries.
“They are required to be well- versed in Arabic to be able to enter these highly prestigious universities in the Middle East,” said the Islamic Jurisprudence graduate of al-Azhar University in Egypt.
He said the idea behind the initiative was due to parents’ concern that their children would not have many career choices once they graduated from the school.
“With the added syllabus, we aim to produce students who have religious studies background and at the same time, be able to seek employment and contribute to the nation, becoming holistic individuals who are versatile.”
The madrasah was founded in 1977 as Institut Berakan with the goal of assisting “average” students to enter tertiary-level studies. It was transformed into a tahfiz school 15 years ago.
The school, which accommodates about 500 mostly male students, also has a hostel for outstation students.
Muzaihar said although the madrasah was not a school for elite students, fluency in Quranic recital was a pre-requisite for admission.
Candidates are tested on this during a pre-entry interview.
The school fees range between RM270 and RM300 monthly. Admission is open only to Malaysian citizens.
He said even though the madrasah was private, it adhered strictly to standards set by the state Religious Council and criteria set by the Education Ministry.
On school funding, Muzaihar said the school relied on fees, while receiving donations from generous individuals, corporate bodies and non-governmental organisations. -NST
