MELAKA: The Melaka government is to set up a Department of Islamic Education by March at the latest, said Chief Minister Adly Zahari yesterday.
He added that the department would be placed under the Melaka Islamic Religious Council (Maim) and would supervise the Islamic education system of Islamic religious schools of the Melaka Islamic Religious Department (Jaim), “sekolah agama rakyat” (public religious schools) and “sekolah agama swasta” (private religious schools) and “tahfiz” schools or centres registered under Jaim.
“Currently, the Islamic education system is supervised by Jaim but as we understand, Jaim has many responsibilities or duties including supervising the various Islamic institutions. The heavy burden can jeopardise better and focused management.
“Furthermore, the setting up of the department can reduce bureaucracy in the development of Islamic education in the state,” he told reporters after a visit to Sekolah Kebangsaan Dato’ Demang Hussin in Bukit Katil on the first day of the new school year yesterday.
Adly also said that the state government would approve an allocation of RM900,000 sought by the Melaka Education Department for the tuition programme for primary and secondary students in 2019. Last year, it had approved RM700,000 for the programme. – Bernama
