Malay-Muslim educational institutions in South Thailand (1930s-1990s)
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Date
2010-04
Authors
Hayimasae, Numan
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
The study investigates the development of institutions under the madrasah
pattern and other institutions established on the basis of madrasah system from the
1930s until 1990s. Madrasahs in the South of Thailand were influenced by madrasahs
of the Haramayn which had developed since the late 19th century. However, the first
generation madrasahs (1930s-1940s) could not last long due to government pressures.
The development of madrasah in Bangkok and nearby provinces had begun earlier in
the 191 Os. They expanded in the following decades to follow closely the government
policies while some of them were taken over by the government.
The second generation madrasahs (1950s-1960s) had grown rapidly throughout
Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat through graduates of the Haramayn especially from
Madrasah Dar a!- 'Ulum and Madrasah Indonesia. It was from these second generation
madrasahs that the Islamic Private School came about in the 1960s and thereafter while
others managed to keep their status quo. The success of madrasah could be seen by the
late 1960s through the establishment of the Tadika and other institutions including the
Ku/lij;ah, Madrasah Tahjiz al-Qur'an and Dar al- 'Aitam.
The government response towards their development had begun in the early 20th
century when the old Patani Kingdom was integrated into the Thai state. The
government also made education as the major tool for national integration. The
government response to Malay-Muslim educational institutions was through different
approaches ranging from giving closer attention to Malay-Muslim students in the Haramayn and Cairo to cooperating with their parents in Thailand to gather the relevant
information. The government also run various programmes to attract Malay-Muslim
children to attend government schools and attempted to establish the higher Islamic
educational institution in Thailand.
The development of Malay-Muslim educational institutions showed a historical
continuity even though Pattani, Y ala and Narathiwat had been integrated into the Thai
state for over a century. A major agenda behind the establishment of all types of
educational institutions is to maintain religious knowledge as well as to preserve their
Malay identity as long as possible.
Description
Keywords
Madrasah system