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Tag: Madrasah Al Maarif Al Islamiah

  • Two Former Full-Time Madrasah Students Enrolled Into NUS Medical School

    Two Former Full-Time Madrasah Students Enrolled Into NUS Medical School

    TWO former madrasah students have become the first to be offered places in a medical school here. Ms Amalina Ridzuan and Mr Ahmad Abdurrahman, who each spent the full 10 years in Islamic religious schools, have made the cut to enter the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) highly competitive Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. There are six full-time madrasahs here. In recent years, they have placed more emphasis on raising academic standards by helping students balance the demands of the religious and secular curricula. The duo also join the ranks of a select number of students who took the polytechnic route to be accepted into medicine. Last year, for instance, only 10 or so polytechnic graduates were offered places at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

    Ms Amalina, 22, who has four siblings aged 12 to 20, grew up playing doctor with them. While in secondary school, a newspaper article about a cancer patient struck her. “I really didn’t want to see (others) having to go through the same pain. That’s why I felt compelled to do something… to do my part to alleviate their pain,” she said. But the former student of Madrasah Al-Ma’arif Al-Islamiah in Geylang took longer than expected to make it to medical school. After graduating from the madrasah, she entered Serangoon Junior College but did not do well.

    “I considered doing a private degree, but I was very interested in medicine and didn’t want to spend the rest of my life doing something I didn’t like, or any other degree,” said Ms Amalina, whose 45-year-old father is a material handler and 44-year-old mother, a management support officer. So she enrolled in a biomedical science course at Temasek Polytechnic and worked hard. She will graduate on Wednesday with a grade point average of 3.98 out of 4. NUS does not comment on individuals accepted into its medical school, but has said it looks for attributes such as compassion, empathy and the ability to relate to people from all walks of life.

    Mr Ahmad will be graduating from Singapore Polytechnic on Thursday. The 19-year-old, formerly from Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah, also studied biomedical science in polytechnic. His 46-year-old mother, an allied educator in a primary school, and 54-year-old father, who is self-employed in the vehicle business, enrolled all four of their children in madrasahs so that they would have a solid foundation in religious knowledge. Mr Ahmad said: “Being in a madrasah taught me time management and how to study smart, because we had so many subjects.”

    At one point, he was taking 14 subjects, including mathematics, history and others on Islamic law and etiquette. His polytechnic course and internships have given him a glimpse of his career ahead. One incident that struck him during a stint at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital was when a doctor asked him to comfort a patient during a painful procedure. “I wasn’t sure what to do, so I just held her hand and looked into her eyes. Somehow, that small gesture helped.”

     

    Source: The Straits Times

  • 6 Months Imprisonment For Attacker OF Madrasah Students

    6 Months Imprisonment For Attacker OF Madrasah Students

    A single act of racially aggravated violence wounds the victim, and by extension, the collective interest of society, said a district judge on Friday (May 20) as he sentenced a former security officer to six months’ jail.

    Koh Weng Onn, who attacked three madrasah students on April 1 this year, had pleaded guilty to two charges — causing hurt with racial aggravation, as well as committing a rash act causing hurt.

    District Judge Mathew Joseph noted that 48-year-old Koh, who suffers from a disorder with delusions of persecution, had made 355 police reports since 2008, many of them against Malay and Indian subjects.

    “The racial pattern in these reports poses a risk of the accused getting into similar situations (again),” he said.

    According to court documents, Koh started to have a bad impression of Malays several years ago, when he confronted a group for allegedly talking about him, and claimed that they started to hit him until he ran away.

    Around 7pm on March 31 this year, Koh was walking towards a coffee shop at East Coast Road when he saw two Malay women cycling towards him. He took a chair and pushed it towards them, sparking a dispute.

    A male Malay cyclist, who was behind the women, started having a shoving match with Koh. The police were called, and the parties apologised to each other.

    The next day, he was walking towards the MRT station along Paya Lebar Road at around 7.22am, when he passed a 16-year-old student. He suddenly kicked her and swore at her in Hokkien, leaving his victim shocked by the sudden blow.

    A minute later, Koh passed a 14-year-old student, and swung a plastic bag containing a filled 1.5-litre bottle towards the side of her face.

    As he entered Paya Lebar MRT Station and rode the escalator down, he saw a group of girls riding the escalator in the opposite direction.

    Koh waited till all of them, except the last girl, had passed him, before swinging his plastic bag at the 14-year-old’s face.

    Koh later defended himself, saying that the sight of the three girls, all students of Madrasah Al-Maarif Al-Islamiah, reminded him of the encounter with the cyclists, and thus angered him.

    Calling for a sentence of six months’ jail, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ang Feng Qian noted that Koh had confessed that he committed the offences because the victims were Malay. He also chose the girls specifically because they were young and female, to reduce the chances of retaliation and reprisal, she added.

    Defence lawyer Sunil Sudheesan, who pleaded for a jail term of three months, said Koh’s delusions had contributed to his offences.

    Mr Sunil added that the fact that an anonymous entrepreneur from an Arab-Muslim family had stepped forward to seek legal help for Koh and offered to foot his bills showed that Singaporeans are not “short-sighted”.

    Mr Sunil said: “They know the difference between someone who is a racist and a bigot, and someone who has (a) mental illness.”

    District Judge Joseph noted that Koh’s family had apologised on his behalf previously. “In a world (divided) by sectarian strife, the exhortation to love your neighbour becomes exceedingly crucial. And it’s all the more important for a nation like Singapore,” the judge said.

    Koh’s older brother, Mr Muhammad Johan Koh, told TODAY that the family accepted the sentence, adding: “He knew he committed an offence and needs to face the consequences. After serving his sentence, he will resume his treatment at the Institute of Mental Health. We will get the help we need to get him better.”

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • Students of Madrasah Hit Without Reason At Paya Lebar

    Students of Madrasah Hit Without Reason At Paya Lebar

    According to eyewitness accounts, on Friday morning at about 7.20am near Paya Lebar MRT, three students from Madrasah Al-Ma’arif Al-Islamiah was physically abused by a stranger. The students described the attacker as a foreign Chinese national middle-aged man wearing a red t-shirt, light brown bermuda with black boots and carrying a bag pack while holding a plastic bag filled with a heavy item.

    According to the eyewitness, the first victim was kicked at the left thigh, the second victim was hit by the plastic bag and the third victim was also hit the same way on one of her eyes. While a police report have been made, we are also appealing for other eyewitnesses to come forward and provide more information to the police.

    While this is a disgusting and uncalled for attack on the students, we should remain calm and rational. Whatever information we have pertaining to this case, it is best we inform the police immediately, so they could complete their investigations and arrest the perpetrator.

    Maybe this is what we get for voting for the PAP some more. Bring in large number of foreign talent, but neglect to expose them to the social fabric and social harmony we enjoy in Singapore. This is what the 70% of you wanted, right? Obvious, of the thousands they bring in, one would be a crazy who would do something like this. Happy now? You all got the government you deserve, so don’t complain

    But once again, if anyone saw the incident, please report to the police straight away.

     

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  • Bekas Pelajar Madrasah Kecapi Ijazah Pujian Kelas Pertama Dalam Bidang Kerja Sosial Di NUS

    Bekas Pelajar Madrasah Kecapi Ijazah Pujian Kelas Pertama Dalam Bidang Kerja Sosial Di NUS

    Daripada madrasah ke menara gading.

    Namun bukan itu sahaja, Cik Siti Nur Diyanah Hardy, 23 tahun, kini menempa sejarah sebagai anak Melayu pertama yang lulus daripada jurusan kerja sosial di Universiti Nasional Singapura (NUS) dengan ijazah kepujian kelas pertama.

    Cik Diyanah merupakan antara lebih 10,000 lulusan yang akan menerima ijazah mereka dalam majlis konvokesyen di NUS yang berlangsung hari ini hingga Selasa depan.

    Majlis konvokesyen bagi fakulti bekas pelajar Madrasah Al-Maarif Al-Islamiah itu akan berlangsung pada 14 Julai.

    Meskipun beliau telah menghabiskan masa 13 tahun belajar di madrasah, Cik Diyanah berkata beliau tidak pernah mengalami kejutan budaya apabila melangkah masuk ke universiti.

    “Pastinya kehidupan di universiti baru dan lain bagi saya tetapi saya rasa perkara ini tentu sama bagi ramai pelajar lain, sama ada mereka daripada madrasah atau bukan.

    “Semasa saya membesar pun, saya tak fikir apa yang saya lalui di sekolah berbeza daripada pelajar lain di sini. Semakin saya membesar juga dan lebih tahu tentang perbezaan yang ada, saya tak mengalami cabaran masuk universiti,” katanya.

    Sepanjang di NUS, Cik Diyanah turut aktif menabur bakti kepada bekas madrasahnya.

    Anak kedua daripada empat beradik itu memulakan program Maarif Maths Mentoring tiga tahun lalu bersama temannya bagi membimbing pelajar Madrasah Al-Maarif yang mengalami kesukaran dalam mata pelajaran tersebut.

    Program itu telah berkembang kepada 20 mentor kini berbanding enam mentor apabila ia baru dimulakan dan sejauh ini telah membantu sekitar 250 pelajar madrasah itu.

    Sikap suka membantu itu juga mungkin antara sebab beliau terdorong menyertai sektor kerja sosial.

    Cik Diyanah turut diberi Anugerah Angkatan Karyawan Islam (AMP) yang mengiktiraf pelajar Fakulti Sastera dan Sains Sosial (FASS) NUS yang menghasilkan tesis kepujian terbaik berkaitan isu yang relevan kepada masyarakat Melayu/Islam setempat.

    Tesisnya meninjau bagaimana individu seperti ustaz atau bomoh menjejas cara orang Melayu yang mengalami isu kesihatan mental mendapatkan bantuan profesional.

    “Topik ini menggabungkan minat saya dalam kerja sosial dan pengajian agama.

    “Pengalaman ini mendatangkan kepuasan bagi saya dan saya dapat belajar banyak bukan sahaja dengan menulisnya (tesis), malah dengan mendengar sendiri daripada mereka yang mengalami isu kesihatan mental.

    “Saya mahu suara mereka didengar menerusi tesis saya… dan saya harap hasil dapatannya akan mendatangkan manfaat kepada masyarakat,” kata anak pasangan guru dan pegawai logistik itu.

    Cik Diyanah kini mengikuti program internship dengan Jawatankuasa Singapura bagi sayap wanita Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) dan antara lain terlibat dalam kempen Girls2Pioneers yang bertujuan menggalak lebih ramai golongan wanita menceburi kerjaya dalam bidang Sains, Teknologi, Kejuruteraan dan Matematik (Stem).

    Presiden Tony Tan Keng Yam yang juga Canselor NUS akan merasmikan majlis konvokesyen utama NUS tahun ini di Kampus Kent Ridge hari ini.

     

    Source: http://beritaharian.sg

  • Dari Madrasah Ke Poly, Kini Ke NUS Ikuti Pengajian Perubatan

    Dari Madrasah Ke Poly, Kini Ke NUS Ikuti Pengajian Perubatan

    Dua lulusan madrasah yang memilih laluan politeknik mencipta sejarah apabila ditawarkan tempat di Sekolah Perubatan Yong Loo Lin, Universiti Nasional Singapura (NUS) baru-baru ini.

    Encik Ahmad Abdurrahman Hanifah Marican, 20 tahun, lulusan Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah, ialah pelajar cemerlang kursus Diploma Sains Bioperubatan daripada Politeknik Singapura.

    Lulusan Politeknik Temasek, Cik Amalina Ridzuan, 22 tahun, pula bekas pelajar Madrasah Al-Maarif Al-Islamiah yang meraih Pingat Emas Sysmex Asia Pacific bagi kursus Diploma Sains Bioperubatan.

    Tahun lalu, lulusan sains bioperubatan Politeknik Republic, Cik Noor Ahmed Alkaff, merupakan pelajar politeknik Melayu pertama diterima masuk ke Fakulti Perubatan NUS.

    Mengulas pencapaian ini, Cik Noor berkata: “Saya teruja kerana kejayaan mereka menunjukkan bahawa latar belakang pengajian bukan hambatan asal kita bermotivasi berusaha.”

     

    Source: http://beritaharian.sg