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.