Obviously there was interest when the idea was mooted so claimed certain quarters. However,
Melaka State Islamic department (Jaim) director, Sulaiman Harmain Shah, has this to say now. “We’ve had a few people calling up to ask,” he said as he is is in charge of the management of the state-run private school in Jasin named “Sekolah Harapan” (School of Hope).
“But no one has registered to be a student yet,” he admitted to The Malaysian Insider in a recent phone interview.
Sulaiman quickly added that enrolment into the school was not automatic and candidates were required to first attend an interview with the state Islamic department.
The interview was necessary to determine, among others, if the schoolgirl in question was a genuine case, whether she had the support of her parents or had been disowned and required housing, Sulaiman explained.
The religious head also disclosed that the school may not be fully ready for its first intake today, with the premises still undergoing a makeover from its previous incarnation as office suites.
“It’s still under renovation. The dormitory is complete. We have a dormitory that can accommodate 12 people,” Sulaiman said.
Apart from the physical aspects of the school, the Islamic department only has a few religious teachers on its faculty.
Other teachers will be hired “part-time” as and when needed, Sulaiman said.
“It will be like a tuition centre,” he added.
Mohd Ali had first announced his idea to set up a dedicated school for pregnant teens in July, with the thought that it could help cut down incidents of newborn babies being dumped, setting off a national debate on the need for such a school and on the reasons behind it.
The education ministry has refuted the need, pointing that its regulations allows all girls access to schooling regardless of whether they are pregnant or married.
But the Melaka CM disputes the ministry’s statement and claims some principals have sent home students after they were found to be pregnant and leaving the teens at a loss on what to do next, which he linked to the spate of baby-dumping cases.
Mohd Ali has also highlighted that the phenomenon affects the Malays, the largest racial group in Malaysia, and carries with it a whole slew of social-religious consequences as the community is constitutionally Muslim.
His controversial idea for a “sekolah hamil” was cemented after the state approved the conditional marriage for minors, with some groups questioning if the “husbands” would be enrolled into the same campus and what subjects would be taught there.
“It’s only for the pregnant girls. Men have no problem. They can still attend school,” Sulaiman replied when asked if the “husbands” would also be attending the school.
Much about the school continues to be wrapped in a veil of mystery. The exact whereabouts of the school in Jasin is also confidential.
“We are trying to protect the girls. They are malu (ashamed),” Sulaiman defended.
He was also reluctant to disclose details but has described the school to be more of a spiritual, moral and educational shelter facility.
Priority will also be given for pregnant Malay-Muslim teens, especially those who have been disowned by their parents and have nowhere else to go, Sulaiman added.
All 13 reported cases of baby-dumping this year have so far only involved the Malay community, police statistics show.
“This is a symptom of social ills among the Muslims… From experience, those who are pregnant seldom are interested to continue their schooling,” Sulaiman said.
This CM certainly has superb conceptual vision.
Let's give him our cheers, won't we when he should succeed to recruit his first pupil?
1 comment:
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