‘Cash won’t solve woes in religious schools’

Khalid Samad says the government must ensure better surveillance of the institutions.

PETALING JAYA: Amanah communications director Khalid Samad has urged Putrajaya to provide for improved surveillance of religious schools instead of just giving them money and then leaving them to their own devices.

Khalid, who is the MP for Shah Alam, was commenting on a news report about the government’s allocation of RM80 million to 819 Islamic schools of various types.

He said it wasn’t enough to just give these schools money if no significant attention was given to quality control. The public’s concern for quality control had become greater with the proliferation of private religious schools in recent years, he added.

He said yesterday’s death of a boy who had been allegedly assaulted by a school warden had only heightened worries regarding the monitoring of religious schools.

“We are worried because when there’s an increase in Islamic consciousness, it becomes a lucrative business as well,” he told FMT.

“People want to send their children to religious schools and this is very good, but the government must be responsible enough to do proper surveillance and quality control to make sure that people are not just making money.”

He said the government, by giving money without taking measures to ensure the schools were being run properly, exposed itself to charges of being politically motivated.

“It looks as though you are only trying to show that you are giving support while at the same time the problems affecting religious schools are not being handled,” he said.

“You can’t just build a public image by giving so many millions. You have to give this money and make sure these problems are being handled. Unfortunately, it seems as though this is not being done.”

He said the government should ensure, for example, that religious schools have counselling programmes for the benefit of both students and teachers.

“Also, the government must make sure teachers are properly paid and that the schools have sufficient food and sufficient funds.

“The government must also make sure all these religious schools are registered.”

Khalid said he was not suggesting “forced intervention” but rather “proper monitoring”.

“People are of course concerned about government intervention, but at the same time the government can’t just completely let go.” -FMT