IT PROGRAMMES IN THE MADRASAHS

Encik Ibrahim Bin Othman asked the Minister for Community Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs what plans the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura has to implement IT programmes in our full-time madrasahs to prepare madrasah students for the Knowledge Based Economy.

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi: In November 1998, MUIS launched its $2 million Madrasah Information Technology Plan (MITP) with the following objectives: -

(i) use IT as a tool for productive and efficient administration of the madrasahs;

(ii) use IT as a source of Islamic academic research and information and as learning and teaching aids;

(iii) equip madrasahs with IT technology hardware and software to fulfil its executive and administrative functions as an Islamic academic institution;

(iv) create an IT culture within the madrasah system to include not only students and teachers but their parents as well.

In the plan, IT is used not only as a tool for communication and teaching but also as a means to stimulate creative and critical thinking among the students and teachers.

MUIS has already developed the basic infrastructure in some madrasahs. For example, Madrasah Aljunied has a computer laboratory with 30 PCs, teachers' and students' workbenches and personal e-mail addresses for all staff. MUIS is in the process of installing PCs, teacher and students' workbenches and email in Madrasahs Maarif, Irsyad and Arabiyah. Multi-media CD curriculum is being used at primary level education in the teaching of English and Mathematics. MUIS is looking into recommending educational programmes for other subjects. Teachers and students have IT training road maps.

MUIS is also helping to develop the E-Resource Centre, homepages and computer syllabus for the madrasahs and will run IT camps for students and IT awareness programmes for parents during the June holidays.

MUIS is aware of the importance of a positive IT culture in the madrasahs and is working closely with them to foster this. It has arranged for the madrasahs to visit top schools like RGS to share experience and to learn from them. A team of IT coordinators from the madrasahs is monitoring the implementation of MITP.