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Religious Studies Project Topics

Challenges Facing the Education of Muslim Children in Public Schools

Challenges Facing the Education of Muslim Children in Public Schools

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Challenges Facing the Education of Muslim Children in Public Schools

Chapter One

Researchย Objectives.

  1. To assess the significance of IRE in academic formation of the children in primary schools in Katsina.
  2. To identify and discuss the challenges of teaching IRE in primary schools in
  3. To evaluate the role of Muslim organizations in the promotion of teaching of muslim children in primary schools in Katsina

CHAPTERย TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

Islamicย Education duringย theย Colonialย Period

Islamic education was provided in the mosque or in the houses of ulamaa with the aim ofย producing imams, sheikhs, and maโ€Ÿalim, apart from imparting knowledge to Muslims toย performย dailyย acts of (Ibadat) worship.

Muslim children from ages 4 โ€“ 15 years learnt Islam in Quranic institutions such as Chuo orย Duqsi. There was no standardized curriculum. The teacher taught according to his ability andย interest. The subjects taught included recitation and memorization of the Qurโ€Ÿan and Hadithย (sayingsย ofย theย Prophet),ย Tawhidย (unity ofย Allah),ย Fiqhย (Islamicย jurisprudence),ย Seerahย (biography of the Prophet) and โ€žArabic grammar. The teachers taught on voluntary basis.ย Later the Maktab (elementary school) and theย Halaqah (circle of the learned) followed.ย Islamic education was provided with the aim of producingย imams, sheikhs, andย maโ€Ÿalim,ย apartย fromย impartingย knowledgeย toย Muslimsย toย performย dailyย actsย ofย (ibadat)ย worshipย (Maina,ย 2003:110).

During the colonial period, Halaqah system was practiced in the Mosques and โ€žUlamaaย houses. The Maktab on the other hand was an elementary school which could be held in aย privateย house,ย shopย orย inย theย Mosqueย (Maina,ย 1993:ย 112).ย Theย Muโ€Ÿallimย tookย theย responsibility of acquainting the young with the knowledge of reading and writing and theย basic precepts of Islam. The Holy Qurโ€Ÿan was the main subject. Other subjects includedย Arabicย grammar,ย Hadithย andย simple arithmeticย amongย othersย (Maina, 1993:113).

The various methods of teaching used in this Quranic schools included dictation, recitation,ย memorization, narration and rote learning. Of the four, rote learning and memorization wereย emphasized. Traditional Islamic education did not have a rigid curriculum. It was un-endingย process whereby an individual could remain a children to late adulthood or even death. Theย young and old learnt in the same class but the muโ€Ÿallim divided them intoย Faslu (class)ย dependingย on theirย abilityย to learn (Badawi, 1979).

The Introduction of Formal Western Education in Nigeria by Christian Missionaries

Westernย formalย educationย wasย introducedย byย Christianย missionariesย duringย theย colonialย ย Inย 1844,ย Johnย Ludwigย Krapf,ย aย Germanย workingย underย theย Churchย Missionaryย Societyย (CMS)ย arrivedย atย Mombassaย toย startย Christianย evangelicalย work.ย Twoย yearsย later,ย heย wasย joinedย byย Johannย Rebmanย ofย theย sameย societyย (CMS).ย Theseย twoย establishedย aย CMSย stationย at Rabai.ย Theย establishmentย ofย Christianย missionsย wasย accompaniedย byย theย buildingย schools.ย Itย wasย inย theseย schoolsย whereย thoseย whoย convertedย toย Christianityย wereย taughtย howย toย read and write.ย Missionaryย education was evangelicalย in natureย (Maina,ย 1993:95).

The curriculum of the missionary education was confined to the four Rโ€Ÿs. Religion was theย most important followed by reading, writing and simple arithmetic. It can therefore be arguedย thatย itย wasย religiousย inย content.ย Mostย ofย whatย wasย taughtย wasย derivedย fromย theย Bible.ย All other activities of the missionaries were aimed at making conversions to Christianity (Maina,ย 1993: 96). Thus, Muslims perceived missionary education as a means of converting theirย children to Christianity, hence avoided the mission schools. However, it is important to noteย that before the coming of missionaries and the introduction of formal Western education,ย Muslimsย inย Nigeriaย had theirย systemย ofย education. Thisย willย beย discussed laterย inย thisย chapter.

Many schools were established by the missionaries among them Buxton High school at theย Coast which was opened in 1893 by Miss. M. Bazette (Maina, 1993: 97). The main objectiveย of the schoolโ€Ÿs establishment was to offer religious instruction and teaching of the Englishย language. The missionary education policies aimed at promotion of a particular denominationย that is Christianity, hence Muslims did not gain much from such education system. Most ofย the content in the syllabus comprised of Christian Religious Education. Learners were taughtย Englishย in order to beย ableย to read theย Bible.

ย Muslimย Responseย to Formalย Westernย Educationย in Nigeria

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The educational policies of the missionaries were aimed at promotion of their denomination.ย Muslim therefore regarded the mission schools as institutionsย of attracting Muslims to theย foldย ofย Christianity.ย Whenย theย colonialย governmentย tookย overย theย responsibilityย ofย educationalย mattersย inย theย country,ย Muslimsย feltย theย needย toย acquireย Westernย educationย for

โ€žwhiteย collarโ€Ÿย jobs.ย Governmentย schoolsย didย notย favourย anyย denominations.ย Muslimsย thereforeย demandedย forย suchย schoolsย andย appealedย toย Localย Nativeย Councilsย (LNC)ย toย establish and run schools devoid of missionary activities (Maina, 1993: 114; Maina, 2003:ย 53). Schools for Arabs were established in Mombasa and Malindi, the first one in 1912 andย the second one in 1919. However, they experienced poor attendance. The numbers rose afterย the introduction of Quranic instruction in Arab schools in Mombasa and Malindi in 1924ย (Maina,ย 1993: 114; Maina, 2003: 53).

The poor response of Muslims to Western (secular) education in early years of the twentiethย century was perpetuated by the payment of school fees. Muslim Arabs and Swahili wereย generally poor and the poverty was aggravated by the abolition of slavery and slave trade,ย whichย wasย thenย theย backboneย ofย theirย economy.ย Thoseย whoย engagedย inย slaveย tradeย benefittedย a lot financially. With the abolition, they lost a source of income.ย Muslims therefore refusedย to cooperate with the government over the issues of building schools and paying for rentalย housesย forย schools (Maina, 1993:123).

In the 1930โ€Ÿs and 1940โ€Ÿs, Muslims started to realize that with Western education one couldย get a wage-earning job hence impact positively on oneโ€Ÿs standard of living. A vivid exampleย of a personality who had benefited from secular education and who also agitated for secularย education among the Muslims and Arabs was Sir Ali bin Salim. He had served as an assistantย Liwaliย (aย politicalย andย religiousย administratorย duringย theย colonialย periodย inย Nigeria)ย ofย Mombasaย andย wasย alsoย theย firstย Arabย nominatedย memberย ofย theย Legislativeย Councilย (LEGCO). He is also associated with the establishment of the first Arab school in 1912 inย Mombasaย (Maina, 1993:ย 115; Maina, 2003: 54).

 

CHAPTER THREE

Researchย Methodology

ย ย RESEARCH DESIGN

The field research was conducted in selected primary schools in Katsina District (see map)ย which has 8 Divisions. An effort was made by the researcher to balance the schools in theย Divisions.ย This was done to ensure that each division was represented. In total, Katsina hasย 37ย primary schools that offerย IRE.

Population

Selectionย andย classification ofย schools.

From the list of 37 primary schools in Katsina, the following procedure was used to select aย sample for the study. First, schools were classified as either Public of Private. Second, fromย the classification of Public and Private schools, National, Provincial and District schools wereย selected. Third, schools were classified further as Boys and Girls, Day, Boarding and Mixedย Day. With such classification the researcher expected diverse, variant responses from theย categories. Further, boarding, day and mixed schools have a different impact on childrenโ€Ÿsย education in Katsina primary schools. children in boarding schoolsย have more time toย study andย doย assignmentsย asย opposedย toย those fromย day schools.ย Some are engagedย inย domestic chores and hardly find adequate time for studying. Consideration was also madeย whenย samplingย Muslimย sponsored schoolsย becauseย ofย their strongย Islamicย influence.

CHAPTERย FOUR

DATA ANALYSES AND RESULT

ย ย Challengesย Facingย theย teaching of muslim childrenย in primary schoolsย inย Katsina.

ย Shortageย of teachersย 

The shortage of teachers in Katsina has compelled many schools not to offer the subject.ย Most of the primary schools that offer IRE in Katsina are private and since IRE has fewย lessons per week, administrators add more lessons to teachers preferably their otherย teaching subjects. It becomes strenuous in terms of preparation since they are forced to copeย withย a heavy work load.ย Their counterpartsย specialize inย teaching only one subjectย andย areย sort of relieved, composed and efficient. These are teachers who teach especially the coreย subjects such as English, Mathematics and Kiswahili among others. These subjects have beenย allocated many periods per week. Therefore, teachers handling these subjects are not addedย moreย subjects except whereย thereย areย issues of under staffing (Mujahid, 2007).

CHAPTERย FIVE

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusion

Education is the foundation of Islam, knowledge acquisition is one of the sublime spiritualย merits of the learned over the ignorant. Islam has made it obligatory for every Muslim maleย and female to seek for knowledge as the Prophet (PBUH) has said โ€žknowledge and wisdom isย the most valuable asset of a believer which he or she has lost. Hence, a Muslim should striveย to acquire it. We have noted in this study that IRE is significant in guiding a personโ€Ÿs life toย spiritualย attachment, love and devotionย andย alsoย forย theย moral developmentย ofย an individual.

The setting up of the Nigeria Education Commission (Ominde Commission) at independenceย pavedย theย wayย forย theย inceptionย ofย theย secondaryย IREย curriculum.ย Notably,ย theย implementation of the secondary syllabus had a low start and the secondary IRE curriculumย has hadย a checkeredย history since its inceptionย in the national curriculum. Evidently, theย study shows that there are numerous challenges that affect the teaching of muslim children in primary schoolsย in Katsina.

Finally, Muslim organizations have significantly contributed to the growth and developmentย ofย IREย inย primary schoolsย inย Katsinaย byย providingย bursaries,ย teachingย andย learningย resources,ย scholarshipsย andย resourceย persons.ย Theyย alsoย holdย orย sponsorย seminars,ย workshops, conferences, symposiums and also fund rallies and forums on challenges facingย theย Ummahย and Muslim children.

ย Recommendations

The shortage of teachers poses as a major challenge facing IRE since its inception in theย primary school curriculum; the government should intervene by training more teachers toย ameliorate the shortage. Moreover IRE should be introduced in all schools in Katsina whereย there are Muslim children. This will help the children in academic developmentย andย acquireย moreย knowledgeย onย Islam.

Low candidature of children as pointed out is as a result of negative attitude by childrenย themselves and lack of motivation by parents to encourage their children to study IRE. Toย check these, children should internalize their obligation and responsibilities of being Khalifaย (vicegerent) or Allahโ€Ÿs representative on earth, as advocated in the Holyย Quran and Sunnahย of the Prophet. More sponsorships and bursary schemes by Islamic organizations are requiredย to attract more children which may in turn translate to more teachers. Organizations suchย as Jamia Mosque Committee should increase the number of sponsorship of IRE children inย Kagumoย from 4 to 8.

Parents on the other hand should be sensitized through IRE forums organized by Muslimย organizations on the need for their children to pursue Islamic studies in order to help promoteย theirย spiritualย formationย andย moralย training.ย Theyย shouldย alsoย provideย incentivesย andย motivation in the study of IRE especially by providing enough Islamic literature and audioย visual Islamic entertainment material. They should also encourage their children to continueย with their Madrasa education to reinforce and enhance what they learn in IRE to promoteย academic formation. Some of the topics covered in Madrasa are related to theย themes taught in primary school, for example, Devotional Acts, Quran and Hadith, Pillarsย of Islam andย Imanย and Historicalย and Cultural Heritage amongย others.

Textbooks and other supplementary materials play a pivotal role in learnerโ€Ÿs performance asย remarked by some respondents during the field survey. The government and curriculumย developers should publish more books on IRE. Similarly, Muslim scholars conversant withย Islamic studies should come forth and liaise with KIE and Muslim organizations to publishย textbooks and otherย supplementaryย materials.

Islamic clubs in schools should be more active by holding frequent rallies on contemporaryย issuesย increasingย Daโ€Ÿawahย activitiesย (propagateย Islam)ย andย organizingย debatesย betweenย schools on difficult topics such as Mirath (inheritance). This is geared towards promotion ofย childrenโ€Ÿsย faithย and spiritualย nourishmentย and formation.

Teachers should vary their methodology and emphasize on practical aspects of the subjectย ratherย thanย focusย onย examinationย andย grading.ย Theyย shouldย guideย theย learnersย toย practiceย what they learn in their daily life (life approach). Most of them concentrate on the academicย formation yet IRE has the spiritual aspect that is about Islamic precepts and tenets. The studyย has identified and discussed how various methods could be used by teachers such as teamย teaching especially during Pastoral Program of Instructions (PPI), whereby the content thatย calls for demonstration, for instance prayer (Salat) can be handled by two teachers for clarityย and easier understandingย byย children.

Kamunge Report (1988) states that development and maintenance of physical facilities inย primary schools by communities, parents and sponsors should be encouraged. This willย enable maintenance of high standards of teaching and learning. Private primary schoolsย provide opportunities for secondary education for many primary school leavers and thereforeย increaseย theย indexย ofย opportunityย forย secondaryย education.ย Whileย someย privateย secondary schoolsย provideย educationย ofย highย standards,ย othersย lackย adequateย facilities,ย equipment,ย qualifiedย teachersย andย conduciveย learningย environmentย toย offerย theย desiredย qualityย education.

Religiousย Educationย inย allย educationalย institutionsย shouldย beย taughtย byย committedย andย qualified persons practicing the faith in which they offer instruction in order to cover all theย topics in the syllabus, for instance, someย teachers do not teachย Quran and Hadithย especiallyย inย primaryย level becauseย theyย areย not conversant with the Arabicย language.

Articlesย fromย Journals andย Periodicals

  • Ahmad, A. (1981)ย โ€œImpact of the west on Muslim educationโ€ in Islamic studies, Al-Islam,ย Quarterlyย Journal ofย Islamicย Foundation, pp.ย 9-11.
  • Al- Razi, H. (1999) โ€œKnowledge and Education Conceptsโ€ In Iqra, the Islamic Journal,ย December,ย 1999;ย Katsina: Hakย Registrarsย Limited,ย pp.ย 6-8.
  • Ibn Hazim, A.ย (1999) โ€œKnowledge and Education Conceptsโ€ In Iqra, the Islamic Journal,ย December,ย 1999; Katsina:ย Hak Registrars Limited, pp.ย 8-9.
  • Idrees, H.M. (1977),โ€Educational prospects and problems of Muslim in Nigeriaโ€; in Al-ย Islam,Quarterlyย Journal, Vol.ย 4;ย Islamicย Foundation,ย pp. 5-6.
  • Mugambi, J (1985) โ€œThe Procedure for CRE Curriculum Development in Nigeriaโ€: Quarterlyย Reviewย of Religiousย Studies, Katsina, pp. 9-10.
  • Muhammad,ย Wย (1982),ย โ€œTheย Roleย ofย theย Muslimย Teacherโ€ย inย Al-Islam,ย Quarterlyย JournalVol. 6 No. 1, March/April, pp. 7-8
  • Mraja.ย Mย (2000) โ€œIslamic Religious Education Teaching in Schools and Colleges Belowย Averageโ€,ย inย Al-Islam,Quarterlyย Journal,Vol.ย 24,ย No.3,July-ย Sept.,ย pp.26-
  • Quraishy, B.S. (1985), โ€œThe Educational system in Islamโ€, In Quarterly Journal of Islamicย Foundationย Vol 1 No. 4/5 Sepย โ€“Decย 1977, pp. 7-8.
  • Quraishy, M. A. (1977) โ€œIslamic Religious Education in Nigeria Schools and Collegesโ€, In Al-ย Islam,Quarterlyย Journal,Vol.1,ย No.ย 2,ย March;ย Katsina:ย Islamicย Foundation,ย pp.5-6.

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