Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim raised the possibility of setting up an Islamic college in Singapore to train a new generation of religious teachers who understand Singapore’s multi-racial and multi-religious context.
Dr Yaacob, who is also Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, told community leaders at a Hari Raya dinner on Friday (July 15): “The various Islamic universities in the Middle East and the region have served us well, but there is a need for homegrown religious leaders anchored in our local multi-racial, multi-religious context and attuned to the concerns of our community in the ever-changing global environment.”
He also said that Malay-Muslim community institutions have grown in tandem with Singapore’s development, and future religious leaders in these institutions need to understand the socio-historical circumstances that shaped the community’s progress.
“For this reason, I believe we should consider the feasibility of our community to set up an Islamic college, which will afford us home-based capacity to train a new generation of (religious teachers).”
Several factors would need to be studied, such as the college’s viability in a small market, and how to attract good faculty and build international repute while keeping it affordable. This task would be assigned to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), Dr Yaacob said.
At the madrasah school level, Dr Yaacob said that Muis would also be working with the Ministry of Community, Culture and Youth to introduce a core element in the curriculum on inter-faith and inter-religious community understanding.
Ms Farah Mahamood Aljunied, director of curriculum planning and development at Muis, said that the current madrasah curriculum already exposes students to inter-cultural exchanges. The changes will focus more on enhancing and integrating inter-cultural learning into the whole curriculum.
She said: “No one is an island and we don’t want our madrasah students to think they can survive on their own and think they can be just among themselves. And being in Singapore, that’s the reality and students are very much aware of that and they’re open to the idea.”
On the Islamic college, she added that it would be an opportunity to contribute not just to the community here but also to the larger Muslim world and educational landscape, by providing more current Islamic education in various fields.
“There are just so many new developments that we need to incorporate and, hopefully, that would lead to a much more vibrant Islamic education sector and a much more inclusive way of looking at how we practise our religion and communicate it,” she said.
In his opening address at the dinner, Dr Yaacob also stressed the importance of continuing the work of pioneers in building the community.
To that end, Mendaki’s Club Leadership Incubator, which grooms young Malay-Muslim professionals to take on community projects, will expand to include a structured mentorship scheme.
The scheme will pair young professionals with more experienced community leaders who can guide and inspire them to contribute to the community.
Dr Yaacob said: “Our pioneers have (given) us the spirit of self-help and in that process, bequeathed to us a legacy of key institutions… We should build on what our pioneers have contributed, consolidate our efforts to bring greater gain for our community, and enhance what we have achieved thus far.”
Source: www.todayonline.com
