Educational dualism in Malaysia: Implications for theory and practice

This study examines Islamic and national education in Malaysia--their philosophical assumptions, aims, and practices--and seeks a synthesis between them. The study traces the dualistic education system to the introduction of Western, liberal, secular education during the British colonial period. Since then, Western education has stood side by side with Islamic education. National education is a legacy of Western education,;The study reveals that dualistic education has posed a dilemma for Muslims, since neither approach provides a sound education from the Islamic perspective. Since Independence and through the 1970s, national education has offered only nominal Islamic religious instruction. It has been preoccupied with producing skilled manpower for national development and has neglected moral and spiritual growth. National education has tended to detach the populace, in particular, the Muslims from their religious values. On the other hand, Islamic education has focused primarily on the religious and spiritual domain and has neglected intellectual and vocational development. It has tended to produce Muslims having a shallow understanding of the world. These two systems are manifestations of the two extremes of epistemology--intellect and revelation.;However, in the 1980s national education underwent reform, especially with the formulation of a holistic National Education Philosophy and the implementation of the Integrated Curriculum for Secondary Schools. The study shows that the National Education Philosophy is based on a conception of God that is sufficiently broad to agree with the spirit of Islam and at the same time is appropriate for a multi-religious population. Conceptually, the study found many similarities, such as the goal of producing a good man of excellent character. But in practice, some differences arose from conceptual muddles and inconsistencies, such as in the uneven contents of the curriculum. However, these differences are shown to be resolvable, and a synthesis of the two systems is possible. The study further argues that from philosophical, curricular, and pedagogical perspectives, the dualistic system of education can be integrated without alienating Malaysians of any race and religion.