Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Stop meddling with the national curriculum!

It has come to our notice that plans are afoot for making a major change in the national curriculum by making the two subjects, Islam and Dhivehi optional . A high ranking delegation of Adhaalath party met the Minister of Education to make clarification on the issue and it was confirmed that the Ministry is seriously planning to do it. Responding to the objections of the Adhaalath officials, the Minister said that he was serious on the issue and will not stop it and if objections are raised he will take the matter to the cabinet or the parliament to decide. Adhaalath delegation made it clear that the issue is directly related to the masses and cannot be decided by a few people in the cabinet or the parliament. If anyone, be it the cabinet or the parliament, decided to implement this, Adhaalath will take the issue to the masses.
In the recent national convention (“Mahaasinthaa”) on the national curriculum, the importance of Islam and Dhivehi in national education process was appreciated by the parents and those in the field of education. The decision to make these two subjects optional is a callous disregard to the resolutions of the “Mahaasinthaa”. It is against the aspirations of the parents.
The sole purpose of higher secondary education is not just securing enough marks in three subjects so that students can enter a university. Rather, one of the goals in this critical period of the education process should be giving the individual a sound foundation on which he can continue his further studies so that whichever field he chooses, he comes back as a Muslim and a Maldivian.
If these two subjects are made optional, very few students will take them as they are not required for any stream of study in most of the universities. Presently, the foreign students studying in our schools walk out when the Islam or Dhivehi periods are being taken. It is totally inconceivable when some or most of the Maldivian students have to walk out of class during these periods! Such a situation is preposterous!
The whole things smacks of a long term plan to strip the younger generations of Maldivians from the two essential ingredients of what makes them Maldivians. Namely, the Islamic religion and our language and culture. The prominent men and women who have spent most of their lifetime in the field of education are alarmed by this newfangled notion. Every Maldivian should resist it. Tooth and nail.

7 comments:

  1. This government in the name of democracy wants to lay foundation to wipe out our religion and sell Maldives Inc. to the Masters.But I tell the D.. this is my Nation and I love it madly.We will give all of u a... to the sharks.......

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  2. stop meddling with the national curriculum??? stop meddling? why? isnt that the mandate of the ministry of education to meddle with it???

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  3. i oppose making islam optional,, but i hope they ll not only make optional , but cut out dhivehi from our curriculum,,dhivehi sucks,, lets introduce arabic,,its in the CIE.. so why not?????

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  4. Interesting article. Some thoughts:
    - Firstly, few students will take these two subjects at higher secondary level.May have great implications on the future.May be MOE need to re think over this aspect. Why not make the subject more alive and related to real life? Students hardly get any opportunity to discuss many of the aspects in the classroom. may be allocate more time, change the teaching style, etc.
    - Secondly, parents hardly have any say on student's choice of subject selection. I really wonder how many parents would encourage kids to take these subjects,sincerely regard them as important subjects for the overall well being of their kids. It is easy to talk about the importance of Islam but how many of us really live up to what is expected from us.
    - Thirdly, whats wrong with comparative religious education? We talk of great scholars from outside who is capable of debating on many religious issues...why not build our childrens capacity and potential to such levels.
    -Fourthly, as far as I have know, the national curriculum framework encompasses many aspects of Islam... included as a main competency to be achieved through various subjects. Islamic values are highlighted and emphasized.why not use this as a starting point?
    _Lastly, its high time someone 'meddle' with the National Curriculum. Its being 'stagnant' for too long.

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  5. salam ,,hey how can i contact you?? your email address? ur facebook,, i need to talk to you plx

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  6. Who said anything about making Islam and Dhivehi optional subjects? Why is everyone losing sight of the fact that they are being offered as core subjects until the end of grade 10? It is only in grade 11 and 12 that they are being suggested as optional subjects. The option is still there for students to choose to take it if they wish. Why does everyone have such a narrow viewpoint? Why does everything boil down to selling the country to Jews and Christians?

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  7. lets all become cave men?

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