KUALA LUMPUR: Integrating Islamic studies, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education could reinforce the quality of teaching and learning among students.
National STEM Movement chairman Professor Datuk Dr Noraini Idris said efforts were being made to bring about this kind of integration to create a holistic understanding of science.
Speaking at the Integral Islamic Studies: Towards Integrating Islamic Science and Science Experts Muzakarah today, she said science had always been a part of Islam and Muslim scholars in the past had integrated Islam into the process of acquiring knowledge.
“The separation of Islam from education has created adverse effects like the phenomena of pseudoscience, where some argue about the religion inaccurately.
“Hence, the Institute of Islamic Understanding (Ikim) has been given the mandate to empower STEM among students, especially Muslim students,” she said.
Religious and science experts from local universities who took part in the event discussed modules to create an integrated science and Islamic studies curriculum.
Noraini said, since 1967, the government had set a target ratio of 60:40 for STEM students versus literature students.
Noraini said a STEM report published by the Higher Education Ministry recently showed that students were now more keen to take literature rather than STEM subjects, in a ratio of 20:80.
However, she said, for the first time, the figure for STEM students had risen to 21 through a mentor-mentee programme established in 2016.
She said they were collaborating with local engineering associations and universities to mentor students on STEM.
“This is to encourage youths to see STEM not as a difficult subject but as interesting knowledge that they should learn.
“To make it interesting, we create hands-on exercises for the children like doing experiments,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ikim director-general Datuk Professor Dr Azizan Baharuddin said Islam had the perfect balance for such studies.
“Islam wants us to have a balance and because modern science is not based on religion, thoughts and fears of artifical intelligence taking over the human race will overpower some people.
“That is why this Muzakarah is held to create a harmonious integration to produce intelligent students in both Islam and science,” she said.