By Zakir Hussain

SPENDING money on religious education will benefit the whole Muslim community, not just a few students in madrasahs, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim said yesterday.

Dr Yaacob made the point to explain why, for the first time, money from the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund (MBMF) is being earmarked to help improve the curriculum and teacher training at full-time Islamic religious schools here.

Speaking to some 400 community leaders at a Hari Raya dinner at the Istana, he highlighted the need to ensure the community's institutions stay relevant.

'Religious education cannot lag behind contemporary society if we want religion to be our guide,' he said.

'We cannot allow our young students to learn in run-down classrooms, and be taught by teachers strapped by ineffective methods and outdated curriculum, no matter how sincere they are.'

Singapore has six madrasahs but only three have opted to come under the Joint Madrasah System (JMS), which means they will benefit much more from the fund.

Parliament is expected to approve changes to the law on Muslim affairs later this month, to allow for higher contributions to the MBMF and for it to be used for religious education.

Every working Muslim contributes to the fund and next year, about $3 million of its projected takings of $12.9 million will be for the madrasahs. Depending on their income, Muslims will each give between $2 and $16 a month.

Funding has been a perennial concern for the madrasahs, which rely largely on fees, donations and grants from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis).

But some Muslims have questioned the need to fund a private school system when a good public alternative exists.

Dr Yaacob pointed out that a key principle of the MBMF is that what a person gives is for 'the benefit of the community and not the contributor directly'.

When the scope of the fund was expanded 25 years ago to help a newly-formed Mendaki, everyone gave to provide affordable tuition classes for children of low-income families, he noted.

Despite the extra funding, Dr Yaacob indicated that madrasah fees may go up.

His address found support among madrasah leaders like Shaik Hussain Shaik Yacob, chairman of Madrasah Al-Arabiah, which is in the JMS.

He said: 'The madrasahs are a training ground to help future generations be good Muslims in Singapore, in changing times. If this is something the community is concerned about, they should see it as their duty to support them.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Oct 11, 2008.

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