By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Dec 9: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg will turn Maahad Tahfiz Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub Primary School (Mattary) into an international primary school while building an Islamic secondary school to allow Mattary students to continue their secondary school education.
Abang Johari made the announcement this morning during a livestream of a ceremony here to mark the 10th anniversary of Mattary.
“I am building five international primary schools in Sarawak. I will build one more for the Muslim community. I will continue to look for funds (‘rezeki’) for the state and they seem to be coming,” said Abang Johari.
He said the Majlis Islam Sarawak will take over Mattary and the Sarawak government will finance the school which presently has 348 students.
“The (Sarawak) government will finance it and it will take up international syllabus supplied by Aljunied International Singapore,” said Abang Johari.
Presently, Mattary is a private Islamic primary school where the students have to undertake two curriculums — one based on Quranic teachings while the other, secular curriculum where the students have to sit for Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR).
Meanwhile, Abang Johari said the construction of the secondary school will start next year in the vicinity of the present Mattary primary school.
He said he had decided to build it to answer the lingering question in the minds of parents of Mattary students, which is “What is next for their children in Mattary go upon graduation?”
Abang Johari thus visualised that the new Islamic secondary school as a residential institution where students will stay as boarders to allow them to be more focussed on their studies.
“Of course, only those who have achieved a certain standard in their studies will be taken in by the school,” he added.
He shared that his vision for this secondary school is that it will produce students who are not only able to recite the Quran, drawing their knowledge and wisdom from their Holy Book, but at the same time are well trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
He noted that algorithms which was invented by a Muslim (Abdullah Muhammad Musa al-Khwarizmi who is also known as “the father of Algebra) formed the basis of technological development that dominates the world today. It is thus his belief that the Muslim children should master algorithms.
The Islamic secondary school will also equip its students to be qualified for tertiary education within and outside the nation. — DayakDaily
