HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS -Islamic Education in Malaya Before Independence- Colonial Education in Malaysia Prior to Independence. Reference: Educational Dualism in Malaysia by Prof Rosnani Hashim

1. HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS
-Islamic Education in Malaya Before
Independence
- Colonial Education in Malaysia
Prior to Independence
Prepared by: Aini Syahira Jamaluddin

2. The development of Islamic Religious
Schools before Independence
1) QURANIC SCHOOLS
• Children were taught the Arabic alphabet and reading the Quran. The instructional
emphasis was tajwid.
• Traditionally, only after children have mastered the Quran would they go on to learn the
Malay language.
• It took the students on average of three years to complete their recitation of the whole
Quran.
• The students did not pay fees, but donated money to buy kerosene for the oil lamps.

3. 2) Pondok education
 Began in nineteenth century.
 ‫ق‬ُ‫د‬ْ‫ن‬ُ‫ف‬ – An inn/ hotel
 The first pondok in Kelantan was Pondok Tok Pulai Chondong,
established in 1820.
 Many scholars have discussed the origin of pondok institutions
in Malaysia, whether it originated from Sumatera, Indonesia or
Pattani. The pondok institution was an influence of Makkan
education of that era.
 Education in the pondok was free and open to Muslim of all
ages.
 The most common methods: Lectures, memorization, reading,
mudhakara, copying texts and menadah kitab (open book).

4.  All the pondok taught the basic subjects of
1. Tawhid
2. Tafsir
3. Fiqh
4. Hadith
5. Nahu
6. Tasawwuf
7. Tarikh
 Addition:
1. Tajwid
2. Nasyid
3. Mantiq
4. Traditional medicine that integrated the use od herbs with Quranic verses

5. 3) Madrasah Education
 Some Muslim intellectuals felt that the objective of pondok education
was narrow and its curricular content confined merely to Fard Ain.
Pondok education did not prepare Muslim youths for the socio-
economic changes that were taking place due to British government.
 In 1908, Madrasah Al-Hamidiah, Kedah was founded by Sheikh Wan
Sulaiman Wan Sidik.
 In 1915, Madrasah Muhammadiah, Kelantan .
 In 1917 Madrasah Al-Hadi was founded in Malacca by Sheikh Ahmad.
 Madrasah Masyhor Islamiah, Penang.
 In 1922, Madrasah Al-Idrisiah, Perak
 In 1937, Madrasah Alwiah Al-Diniah, Perlis
 The number of Madrasah mushroomed in the 1930s and 1940s.

6. SUBJECTS
OFFERED IN
THE
MADRASAH
IN PRE-
SECOND AND
POST-SECOND
WORLD WAR

7. THE DEVELOPMENT OF
NATIONAL EDUCATION
BEFORE INDEPENDENCE

8. EDUCATION
IN THE
STRAITS
SETTLEMEN
T
Three types of school were established
during the 19th century:
1) ‘Free’ schools which received
government support until they were
placed under government control2) Branch English and vernacular schools
were established by the government
3) English and vernacular schools
founded by missionary bodies and
private individuals or organizations

9. Penang Free School was build in 1816 by R.S. Hutchings
Malacca Free School (later renamed Malacca High School) was
established in 1816
St. Xavier’s Institution Penang was founded in 1852

10.  The Malays did not view free and the missions school with great
enthusiasm. Malay parents refused to send their children to them.
 They feared that attendance in these schools would alienate their children
from their own society or divide their loyalties
 These suspicions were well-founded because the schools used the Bible as
their main textbook.

11. In 1856 two branch Malay school were
set up at Teluk Blanga and Kampong
Glam. It was gradually transformed
into a Quranic school in 1860s.The schools were allowed to teach
Quran for two hours in the morning,
two hours in the afternoon, and
devoted the rest of the time to Malay
instruction.
In 1834, there were 5 Malay schools in
Malaka. By 1863, the number
increased to nine.

12. MALAY
VERNACULAR
SCHOOLS
 Provided four years of education beginning with
Standard One and ending with Standard Four.
 Subjects taught in vernacular schools were reading
and writing the Malays language in both the
Romanized and Arabic scripts.
 Students in standard 4 were given an extra subject
to choose from such as sanitation, agriculture,
physiology and physical geography.
 The British did everything they could to induce
Malays to attend the Malay vernacular schools.
 E.g.: In Johor and Selangor, the schools held a
religious session in the afternoon. In Selangor, the
teacher ‘out of his pocket money’ provided a free
daily meal to students.

13. REASONS
 Malay parents were suspicious of these schools since
it not offer Islamic religious instructions.
 It was difficult for the Malay to see the relevance of
secular education to their simple, rural lives. Malay
parents refused to send their to school because of
fear of losing a helping hand with the household
chores.
 The Malay had their own Quranic schools which
taught them the basics of their religion and to read
and write in their own language.