Loss Of Interest In Arabic Schools Noted
By Shafigi Azahari

Bandar Seri Begawan - The number of religious school students interested in continuing their study at Arabic schools of a higher level has been declining due to various reasons.

The matter was raised during a working visit yesterday by the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Dato Paduka Ishaaq Abdullah at the PAP Majeedah Nuurul Bulqiah religious school in Kampong Kilanas, BruneiMuara district.

Principal Norwati Abu Bakar said due to low interest in Arabic, of more than 30 students of her religious school sitting for the entrance test for an Arabic school every year, only 13.or less succeeded.

She was replying to questions by the deputy permanent secretary and other officials on reasons students were losing interest in Arabic.

A similar decline in interest was also disclosed last Tuesday at the PAP Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam in Mulaut, also in Brunei-Muara district.

In a similar event earlier at the PAP Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam in Mulaut, same less number of students interested to attend Arabic school was also reported.

However, students at another religious school in Lambak Kanan showed higher interest in studying in Arabic schools. Its vice-principal, Siti Rahmah Pengarah Dato Othman, said that her students never rejected any offers to go to an Arabic school.

"But the number of those who pass entrance tests at Arabic schools is not constant through the years," she said.

"Sometimes only ten and sometimes less" A teacher who wanted to remain anonymous said yesterday that some students were not interested in studying in Arabic schools because their parents view it as a poor career prospect.

"Some parents viewed that non-Arabic schools offer better benefits to their children, especially those using English language," said the teacher.

A lecturer at the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Institute of Islamic Studies of the University of Brunei Darussalam (UBD) viewed that less students were interested in Arabic school due to poor concentration.  -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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