Singapore: MUIS to increase funding to madrasahs, financial assistance for needy

SINGAPORE: The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) will increase funding to full-time madrasahs and financial assistance to needy students.

Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said that Singapore has to be prepared to invest more in building up its madrasahs.

In his Budget debate in Parliament, he added that MUIS has made significant strides in the madrasah education system.

This includes the new International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), teacher development and student enrichment programmes in the works.

Dr Yaacob said that the IBDP in particular will be a breakthrough in integrating academic and religious learning.

He added that the new multi-disciplinary and integrated Joint Madrasah System (JMS) curriculum reflects a major paradigm shift in madrasah education.

Dr Yaacob said: "Our madrasahs are not an alternative to mainstream national schools. Their key priority is to produce qualified religious teachers who are able to meet the changing expectations and needs of our community. They will produce religious leadership that will help our community develop together as good Singapore Muslims by ensuring our socio-religious compass is in the right direction. I am proud that our madrasah students have done well."

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1260160/1/.html

Australia: Malek Fahd Islamic School 'fees' funding Australian Federation of Islamic Councils

By Leo Shanahan, The Australian August 22, 2011 12:00 AM

THE nation's peak Muslim body is extracting millions of dollars in rent and fees from a successful Islamic school in Sydney that draws most of its funding from taxpayers.

Documents reveal the Malek Fahd Islamic School paid the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils $5.2 million last year alone, an amount equal to one-third of the school's educational funding from the federal and state governments.

An investigation by The Australian has uncovered millions of dollars in funds charged to the school, including unexplained "management fees".

The school has also been charged $2.59m in back rent after AFIC retrospectively altered a lease agreement in 2009.

Last year, it paid $3.15m in "management fees" to AFIC, which included $2.2m in "management fees back charge".

AFIC, also known as Muslims Australia, has not explained how the fees are being spent by the organisation, despite detailed questions from The Australian.

Malek Fahd, in Greenacre in Sydney's west, received $15.7m in educational funding from the commonwealth and NSW governments last year, accounting for 74 per cent of its overall income.

According to the school's financial statement, it received a total of $19.6m in government funding last year, with the figure boosted by cash from the federal government's Building the Education Revolution program.

The school of about 2000 students is widely considered a success story for Islamic education in Australia, rating 15th in NSW HSC system ratings last year and in the top 10 in 2007.

The school is listed as independent and is a separate legal entity from its landowner and founder AFIC. Government funds are given directly to the school, not to AFIC.

Both are not-for-profit organisations, with the school entitled to a range of tax concessions as a charitable institution.

In 2008, a lease was signed between the school and AFIC that set annual rent for the Greenacre property at $1.3m, but documents reveal that in 2009 the lease was changed to increase the rent to $1.5m a year. The agreement was backdated to January 2004, resulting in a one-off payment of $2.59m going to AFIC.

According to the school's last financial report, another deal saw the school hand over a lump sum of $2.2m in backdated management fees to AFIC, with another $959,800 handed over for management costs in that year.

Neither the school nor AFIC can explain what the management fees are charged for.

AFIC president Ikebal Patel, who has held the role since 2007, is also the chairman of directors of the school. He was briefly removed from the position of AFIC president by the AFIC congress in 2008, but was reinstated after a complex federal court challenge to the legitimacy of the vote.

When asked by The Australian how he explained the fees being charged to the school and where and how AFIC was spending the funds, Mr Patel said: "The financial statement is out there. If you want to discuss anything else I'm happy, but I'm not going to discuss any of this."

Mr Patel has not replied to questions in writing about how the large fees were justified or where the money was being spent.

Mr Patel would also not answer questions as to how much he or other members of the AFIC executive were personally drawing in income or any other payment from AFIC funds.

Intaj Ali, the school's principal, told The Australian that "all questions about the school's finances should be directed to the school's director, Ikebal Patel".

However, it is understood that Dr Ali - a respected educator who has been principal since the school's inception in 1990 - is privately furious over the manner in which AFIC has been using the school's funds.

Senior figures at the school and in the Islamic community are angry the school is being denied its funds to reinvest into the school, which has large classes and generally caters to students of non-English speaking backgrounds and of lower socioeconomic groups. The school receives proportionately larger government funding for this reason.

The Greenacre school site was purchased by AFIC in 1989 for about $2.2m with funds from the Saudi royal family. The school, which charges fees of about $1200 a year, has been responsible for funding the construction of its own buildings.

Along with Mr Patel as chairman of directors of the Malek Fahd, the school's board also has several other AFIC executives. These include AFIC vice-president Hafez Kassem, treasurer Mohamed Masood and assistant AFIC treasurer Ashraf Usman Ali.

Neither the commonwealth nor the NSW education department has provided comment on the matter, but The Australian understands the school's funding issue has been brought to the attention of NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell's office.

Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/malek-fahd-islamic-school-fees-funding-australian-federation-of-islamic-councils/story-fn59niix-1226119264022

DepEd to strengthen Madrasah education

By INA HERNANDO-MALIPOT
July 16, 2011

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is strengthening Madrasah education to put Muslim students on equal footing with students from regular schools in finding employment after graduation.

According to Education Secretary Armin Luistro, strengthening the education of Muslim students will give them “an equal chance of being employed as their counterparts in sectarian and non-sectarian schools because they have been properly prepared.”

Luistro said Madrasah education is one of President Benigno S. Aquino III’s priorities in his 10-point education agenda. “For 2011, he approved the allocation of P300 million—from P200 million in 2010—to fund various initiatives to ensure that the education the Muslims get is culturally-sensitive, Islam-friendly and able to respond to their learning needs,” he said.

When Luistro assumed office last year, one of the first things he did was create the Office of Madrasah Education under the Undersecretary for Programs and Projects, Dr. Yolanda Quijano. It replaced the Office of Muslim Affairs which used to be headed by an undersecretary. “Since DepEd is allowed only four undersecretaries, the former undersecretary was retained as consultant,” Luistro said.

He acknowledged the need to have an undersecretary and a separate office when Madrasah education was on its development stage. “But now that it is on its seventh year and the foundations have been laid, its operations have been integrated under the undersecretary for programs and project,” he said.

Early this year, the DepEd chief also signed a memorandum of agreement with Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Ansarrudin Alonto-Adiong for the implementation of Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) curricula in the region.

“Because of concerns in the past, no education secretary in previous administrations was able to implement ALIVE in the ARMM where it is critically needed,” Luistro said. And, to get things started, he ordered the release of R75 million for preparatory activities such as the orientation and training of Muslim teachers or “asatidz.”

“This is the first time it is going to be implemented in ARMM even as ALIVE is already taught in public schools and private Muslim schools (madaris) nationwide,” Luistro said.

ALIVE’s curriculum for the elementary level, which was first implemented in school year 2005-2006, was reviewed and refined last year with SEAMEO-INNOTECH as service provider.

The outcome was the Refined Elementary Curriculum (REMC) which was jointly revisited by curriculum experts from DepEd’s Bureau of Elementary Education and Ulama (Muslim educators).

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/327086/deped-strengthen-madrasah-education

Australia: Call for taxpayers to fund Muslim schools

John Masanauskas, from The Advertiser, May 17, 2011 11:00pm

• Calls for help funding Islamic schools, food outlets
• AFIC says greater government investment needed
• "Would increase integration and reduce enclaves"

AUSTRALIA'S top Muslim body wants taxpayers to help fund the expansion of Islamic schools and halal food outlets.

It says integrating them into mainstream suburbs would mean Muslims are not forced to live in enclaves.

And the nation's peak Jewish organisation has called for new migrants to be put on probation while their commitment to Australian values and laws is checked.

In a submission to a federal inquiry into multiculturalism, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils said Muslims were limited from taking part in civic life when cut off from essential services such as access to Islamic schools, mosques and halal food.

"The Government should invest in expanding services like halal and kosher meat and food outlets as well as faith-based schools which allow a greater capacity to work and live in areas where they exist," it said.

"If the Government and politicians cannot recognise this as essential, it should no longer accuse the Australian Muslim community of intentionally living in enclaves."

Submission author and AFIC board member Heba Ibrahim yesterday said there were reasons why groups were drawn to certain suburbs.

"There needs to be a greater investment generally in schools that wish to go out into other areas that are not heavily populated with particular migrant and religious groups," she said.

Governments don't pay for the building of new private schools, but most private colleges get state and federal funding for running costs and in some cases for upgrades.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry told Federal Parliament's joint standing committee on migration Australia must learn from Europe's failed "anything goes" model of multiculturalism.

It wants all new migrants to be put on probation for a "confident assessment of their acceptance of Australian values and laws before granting full citizenship".

The council's executive director, Peter Wertheim, said there was concern about Islamic extremists and others linked to terrorist groups.

"If they're involved in criminal activity or incitement of violence or incitement of racism, that's something that should be taken into account," he said.

The Jewish body also wants mandatory English training for migrants who lack fluency.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/national/call-for-taxpayers-to-fund-muslim-schools/story-e6frfkvr-1226057895961

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Commentary: In reaction to this AFIC proposal, the Herald Sun in its editorial (Islamic call goes to far) said:

A PROPOSAL that taxpayers fund the building of Islamic schools to encourage Muslims to move out of their ethnic enclaves sounds more like an ultimatum.

"We will assimilate with the mainstream Australian community when you pay to expand Islamic education", seems to be what a submission from the Federation of Islamic Councils is saying.

The submission has been sent to a Federal Government inquiry into multiculturalism. But it appears ignorant of longstanding policy on the funding of religious education, or chooses to ignore it.

Church schools receive generous government funding once they are established and Islamic schools already receive millions of dollars in government assistance.

The Labor Government has provided grants through its controversial Building the Education Revolution to build new classrooms and facilities at existing state and private schools.

However, to demand that taxpayers' money be used to finance the spread of Islamic education in outer suburbs and regional Australia, as well as paying for halal and kosher food outlets, goes too far.

Making Australian taxpayers foot the bill for building such schools is the reverse of what is a fair and reasonable policy.

The responsibility for integration with the Australian community rests with Islamic organisations and Muslim families.

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/islamic-call-goes-too-far/story-fn6bn88w-1226057785835

Government releases P251.6 million for Muslim education

By Delon Porcalla (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - The government has released a total of P251.6 million to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the nationwide implementation of the Madrasah Education Program, which aims to enhance educational development of Filipino Muslims.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the release is in line with President Aquino’s commitment to “uplift the standard of education of Filipinos in order for the country to move forward.”

“Education is the central strategy of the administration for investing in the people and enhancing their opportunity to gain meaningful employment,” Abad said in a statement.

He added that there is a “need to mainstream and institutionalize Madrasah education as part of the national system of basic education to promote lasting peace.”

The Madrasah Education Program has three components – Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) in public schools, ALIVE for Muslim out of school youths and adults, and assistance to private madaris.

ALIVE classes are now being implanted in 893 public elementary schools nationwide.

Some P173.2 million out of the P251.6 million is allocated to the DepEd Office of the Secretary Proper, while the remaining P78.350 million will be released directly to the different schools division offices to cover the allowances of Asatidz (Muslim teachers).

Asatidz, under the Madrasah Education Program, have undergone training to raise the quality of delivery of ALIVE subjects.

A total of 1,567 Asatidz passed the training in school year 2010-2011 and were deployed in ALIVE classes with a monthly allowance of P5,000.

Likewise, in line with the DepEd’s policy to decongest public schools by providing support to private institutions, financial assistance to 39 private madaris have been granted since school year 2008-2009 with the amount of P5,000 per student.

Abad noted that there is a P48.4-million difference from the original fund request of DepEd of P300 million.

The amount is supposed to cover the allowances for new Asatidz that still have to be hired by DepEd. He clarified that the Department of Budget and Management is now releasing the fund request based on actual requirements of the agency for its filled positions.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=705928&publicationSubCategoryId=63

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Together with this particular news, comments were raised by online readers evolving around separation of the church and the state. These comments are valid because they are personal opinions. But their opinions are misplaced and out of context.  

• These monies are paid for on behalf of Muslim children who are learning their language and culture. The idea of children from minority groups "forced" to learn mainstream language and culture before they even learn their own is preposterous and violative of international conventions that protect them.
• The monies that goes to the DepEd-recognized madaris are utilized to pay for teachers teaching the national curriculum (BEC) and not a cent goes to religious teachers or instruction which is paid for out of local tuition fees.