Keadilan said today the government's decision to temporarily stop funding people's religious schools ( sekolah agama rakyat ) which were alleged to have deviated from their original syllabus, was linked to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's ambitious "overhaul" of the education system.

Party secretary-general Sahri Bahri (photo) said the withdrawal of funds to religious schools as well as the proposal to stop government aid to Chinese schools could be a result of Mahathir's insistence to impose the teaching of Maths and Science in English before his retirement next October.

"But for the prime minister to suggest the idea of an education overhaul without a comprehensive study or plan is premature. More research on the language switch should have been undertaken by a special task force and educationists, not politicians," he said.

Mahathir had said after an Umno supreme council meeting Friday that the funding to these religious school would be stopped temporarily pending an investigation as some of them were suspected of nurturing their students to become anti-government.

It was also reported that council members had mandated Mahathir to suggest in the Barisan Nasional meeting to stop government aid for Chinese schools if they refuse to accept the proposal to teach Maths and Science in English.

Dependent on grants

According to 2000 figures, there were 53 of these privately-run secondary religious schools operating with a total of 40,008 students. Another 210 such schools were run at primary level, with a total of 70,235 students. These schools focus on religious studies with the aim to produce religious teachers and Islamic scholars.

Most of them depend on government grants (based on the number of students) and community donations to pay teachers' salaries and maintain their facilities.

Sahri said today the religious schools had spawned out of the needs within the Muslim community because many of them felt that the national education system was job market-driven.

"Religious schools, on the other hand, are value-centred and people-centred. They play a complementary role to the national education system," he said.

These schools have done well in instilling moral and religious values into students and this should be commended by the government amid an increase of social problems such as drug abuse and sexual promiscuity, he added.

He also cited Keadilan's support for Chinese educationists in opposing the controversial language switch in recent months as proof that the party acknowledges the diverse elements of the national education system.

"Both religious and Chinese schools are patriotic and loyal to the country. This should not be questioned. The parents also have the right and freedom to choose the type of school they want to enrol their children in," he said.

Cultural right

Meanwhile, PAS secretary-general Nasharuddin Mat Isa (photo) said the withdrawal of funds showed that the Mahathir-led Umno did not want to see religious schools flourish among the Malay-Muslim community because such schools may be forced to close due to financial restraint.

"Why can't he let people choose what is best for themselves and their children. As far as PAS is concerned, the right to choose an education in whatever language and form is a cultural right.

"If some people want their children to grow up to be imam (clerics), it's up to them as long as they are happy. Why should we force everyone to an engineer when we already have so many unemployed engineering graduates?" said Nasharuddin.

He also urged the government to show proof that religious schools were involved in propagating hatred among students towards the authorities.

The government's task in managing the country's education is to continue to support and assist a variety of education systems and let the public make their own choice, he said.