Education Minister Musa Mohammed recently revealed that less than 25 percent of pupils from Malaysia's Islamic religious schools qualify for local universities, compared with more than 90 percent from secular schools. In a multireligious nation, in which the Malay Muslim majority barely outnumbers the non-Muslim Chinese and Indians, this is a disgrace. Religious schools must be modernized. They must produce more than just future mullahs; they must prepare young Muslims for the modern economy.
The United States has many church-based educational institutions but they produce their share of the nation's scientists, engineers and managers. Georgetown University, a Jesuit institution, has outstanding law, medical and diplomacy schools. Only a tiny fraction of its graduates end up in the clergy. Harvard University started out training only clerics, yet is now famous for much more than its divinity school.
Such institutions do not insist that students and faculty members share their faith. Countless Muslims have benefited from the superior education given by these institutions founded by Christians.
Malaysia could begin by modernizing the curriculum of its religious schools to include mathematics, science and English. Islamic studies should only be one subject, not the all-consuming curriculum. The cause of Islam would be enhanced greatly if future Muslim religious scholars had a broad-based liberal education that gave them a wider perspective.
Many studies show that proficiency in mathematics correlates well with success at university and in later life. An understanding of biology would make Muslim students better appreciate such current dilemmas as organ transplantation and in vitro fertilization. A familiarity with modern economics would make them better understand financial markets, including equity funding, bonds and venture capital.
If Muslim students were exposed to the social and behavioral sciences, they would be better prepared to deal with the ills of Malaysian society. If they were fluent in English, they could communicate better and have a greater impact on others. Recently, some missionaries from Malaysia's Islamic Institute were preaching in the United States. Yet they could speak hardly a word of English.
Religious schools are popular with Malays because of the Islamic cachet. Unlike secular schools, they have low dropout rates. But Islamic studies are widely perceived as an easy way to get a degree. Such qualifications have little value in the private sector and graduates of religious schools depend on the government for employment. This limited marketability does not serve them or the nation.
Malaysia should use the rich scholarly traditions of Islam to expand students' intellectual horizons and stimulate their inquisitiveness. It should de-emphasize rituals and catechism. What passes for education at religious schools today is nothing more than indoctrination.
Critical thinking is discouraged; learning by memory and conformity are expected and highly valued. Why can there not be more rigorous intellectual discussions? How does, for example, the Muslims' Allah differ from Greek and Hindu gods? Is the Koran to a Muslim comparable to the Bible for a Christian? By insisting on rigorous standards, Islamic studies would no longer attract academic loafers, and Malaysia would get better religious leaders.
Religious schools must not be the equivalent of Muslim seminaries. Nor should they be a refuge for Malays who wish to withdraw from modern Malaysia.
When Islamic institutions produce their share of Malaysia's scientists, professionals and entrepreneurs, the socioeconomic gulf separating Muslims and non-Muslims will narrow - and race relations will be enhanced.
The writer, a Malaysian-born surgeon based in the United States, is author of "The Malay Dilemma Revisited." This comment was adapted by the International Herald Tribune from an article that first appeared in the Internet paper Malaysiakini.com on March 31. KUALA LUMPUR Education Minister Musa Mohammed recently revealed that less than 25 percent of pupils from Malaysia's Islamic religious schools qualify for local universities, compared with more than 90 percent from secular schools. In a multireligious nation, in which the Malay Muslim majority barely outnumbers the non-Muslim Chinese and Indians, this is a disgrace. Religious schools must be modernized. They must produce more than just future mullahs; they must prepare young Muslims for the modern economy.
The United States has many church-based educational institutions but they produce their share of the nation's scientists, engineers and managers. Georgetown University, a Jesuit institution, has outstanding law, medical and diplomacy schools. Only a tiny fraction of its graduates end up in the clergy. Harvard University started out training only clerics, yet is now famous for much more than its divinity school.
Such institutions do not insist that students and faculty members share their faith. Countless Muslims have benefited from the superior education given by these institutions founded by Christians.
Malaysia could begin by modernizing the curriculum of its religious schools to include mathematics, science and English. Islamic studies should only be one subject, not the all-consuming curriculum. The cause of Islam would be enhanced greatly if future Muslim religious scholars had a broad-based liberal education that gave them a wider perspective.
Many studies show that proficiency in mathematics correlates well with success at university and in later life. An understanding of biology would make Muslim students better appreciate such current dilemmas as organ transplantation and in vitro fertilization. A familiarity with modern economics would make them better understand financial markets, including equity funding, bonds and venture capital.
If Muslim students were exposed to the social and behavioral sciences, they would be better prepared to deal with the ills of Malaysian society. If they were fluent in English, they could communicate better and have a greater impact on others. Recently, some missionaries from Malaysia's Islamic Institute were preaching in the United States. Yet they could speak hardly a word of English.
Religious schools are popular with Malays because of the Islamic cachet. Unlike secular schools, they have low dropout rates. But Islamic studies are widely perceived as an easy way to get a degree. Such qualifications have little value in the private sector and graduates of religious schools depend on the government for employment. This limited marketability does not serve them or the nation.
Malaysia should use the rich scholarly traditions of Islam to expand students' intellectual horizons and stimulate their inquisitiveness. It should de-emphasize rituals and catechism. What passes for education at religious schools today is nothing more than indoctrination.
Critical thinking is discouraged; learning by memory and conformity are expected and highly valued. Why can there not be more rigorous intellectual discussions? How does, for example, the Muslims' Allah differ from Greek and Hindu gods? Is the Koran to a Muslim comparable to the Bible for a Christian? By insisting on rigorous standards, Islamic studies would no longer attract academic loafers, and Malaysia would get better religious leaders.
Religious schools must not be the equivalent of Muslim seminaries. Nor should they be a refuge for Malays who wish to withdraw from modern Malaysia.
When Islamic institutions produce their share of Malaysia's scientists, professionals and entrepreneurs, the socioeconomic gulf separating Muslims and non-Muslims will narrow - and race relations will be enhanced.
The writer, a Malaysian-born surgeon based in the United States, is author of "The Malay Dilemma Revisited." This comment was adapted by the International Herald Tribune from an article that first appeared in the Internet paper Malaysiakini.com on March 31. KUALA LUMPUR Education Minister Musa Mohammed recently revealed that less than 25 percent of pupils from Malaysia's Islamic religious schools qualify for local universities, compared with more than 90 percent from secular schools. In a multireligious nation, in which the Malay Muslim majority barely outnumbers the non-Muslim Chinese and Indians, this is a disgrace. Religious schools must be modernized. They must produce more than just future mullahs; they must prepare young Muslims for the modern economy.
The United States has many church-based educational institutions but they produce their share of the nation's scientists, engineers and managers. Georgetown University, a Jesuit institution, has outstanding law, medical and diplomacy schools. Only a tiny fraction of its graduates end up in the clergy. Harvard University started out training only clerics, yet is now famous for much more than its divinity school.
Such institutions do not insist that students and faculty members share their faith. Countless Muslims have benefited from the superior education given by these institutions founded by Christians.
Malaysia could begin by modernizing the curriculum of its religious schools to include mathematics, science and English. Islamic studies should only be one subject, not the all-consuming curriculum. The cause of Islam would be enhanced greatly if future Muslim religious scholars had a broad-based liberal education that gave them a wider perspective.
Many studies show that proficiency in mathematics correlates well with success at university and in later life. An understanding of biology would make Muslim students better appreciate such current dilemmas as organ transplantation and in vitro fertilization. A familiarity with modern economics would make them better understand financial markets, including equity funding, bonds and venture capital.
If Muslim students were exposed to the social and behavioral sciences, they would be better prepared to deal with the ills of Malaysian society. If they were fluent in English, they could communicate better and have a greater impact on others. Recently, some missionaries from Malaysia's Islamic Institute were preaching in the United States. Yet they could speak hardly a word of English.
Religious schools are popular with Malays because of the Islamic cachet. Unlike secular schools, they have low dropout rates. But Islamic studies are widely perceived as an easy way to get a degree. Such qualifications have little value in the private sector and graduates of religious schools depend on the government for employment. This limited marketability does not serve them or the nation.
Malaysia should use the rich scholarly traditions of Islam to expand students' intellectual horizons and stimulate their inquisitiveness. It should de-emphasize rituals and catechism. What passes for education at religious schools today is nothing more than indoctrination.
Critical thinking is discouraged; learning by memory and conformity are expected and highly valued. Why can there not be more rigorous intellectual discussions? How does, for example, the Muslims' Allah differ from Greek and Hindu gods? Is the Koran to a Muslim comparable to the Bible for a Christian? By insisting on rigorous standards, Islamic studies would no longer attract academic loafers, and Malaysia would get better religious leaders.
Religious schools must not be the equivalent of Muslim seminaries. Nor should they be a refuge for Malays who wish to withdraw from modern Malaysia.
When Islamic institutions produce their share of Malaysia's scientists, professionals and entrepreneurs, the socioeconomic gulf separating Muslims and non-Muslims will narrow - and race relations will be enhanced.
The writer, a Malaysian-born surgeon based in the United States, is author of "The Malay Dilemma Revisited." This comment was adapted by the International Herald Tribune from an article that first appeared in the Internet paper Malaysiakini.com on March 31.