Muslims fear new S'pore school rule

Muslims fear new S'pore school rule

SINGAPORE (DPA): Muslims fear their Islamic schools will be
penalized if the institutions fail to meet the Singapore
government's minimum standards in English, mathematics and
science, a professional body said on Tuesday.

The Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) urged Prime
Minister Goh Chok Tong to reconsider his proposal allowing the
madrasah, or private Islamic schools, to be excluded from the
proposed compulsory primary education system as long as their
students pass the Primary School Leaving Examination,
administered after the sixth grade, in the three subjects.

The "gentle warning" by Goh is unfortunate, AMP said in a
statement, noting madrasah producing teachers of Islam are
different from national schools.

The Islamic schools prefer to take up Goh's offer and upgrade
without being haunted by the possibility of closure, AMP said.
Under Goh's proposal, madrasah which do not meet the minimum
standards may not receive the exemption from national schools.