KUCHING: The Sarawak International Islamic Secondary School is expected to welcome its first group of students in 2027.
According to the president of the Sarawak Islamic Council (SIC), Datuk Misnu Taha, the initial intake will consist of 100 students entering Form One.
Misnu said, the SIC, through its Educational Services Bureau, is actively working on various aspects of the school, including the curriculum, staff, student admissions, and funding. Once fully operational, the school will accommodate 500 students and offer a combination of the National Curriculum, Tahfiz and Hafazan Curriculum, and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) curriculum. It will be a full boarding school.
He said this during his opening speech at the International Seminar on Islamic Education held at Raia Hotel and Convention Centre today (June 17).
Last year, the state government announced a collaborative study with Singapore to establish this international Islamic school.
In addition, Datuk Misnu mentioned that currently, there are nine government-aided religious primary schools and nine religious secondary schools in Sarawak.
“Two of these secondary schools, SMK (A) Tun Ahmad Zaidi in Kuching and SM (A) Pasentren Abdul Taib Mahmud in Kota Samarahan, were established by the SIC,” he said, while adding that Ministry of Education (MOE) oversees the curriculum and the provision of teachers for all these schools.
The first religious secondary school in Sarawak, SMK (A) Sheikh Haji Othman Abdul Wahab in Kuching, was inaugurated in 1976.
“Many students from this school currently hold important positions in various government departments and Islamic agencies in Sarawak, which is a source of pride.”
Furthermore, the SIC took over Ma’had Tahfiz Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub in January 2020 and has been implementing the ‘Kurikulum Bersepadu Tahfiz Sarawak’ (KBTS) since 2021.
The SIC has also established 19 nursery schools and two preschools in Sarawak.
Additionally, there are 31 tahfiz schools and one private religious primary school registered with the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department.
Meanwhile, the international seminar, with the theme “Islamic Education: Accomplishments, Challenges, and The Road Ahead,” is a joint effort between the SIC Educational Services Bureau and the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia. The seminar has attracted over 300 participants from both local and foreign countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam.
