LETTERS: In a commentary in the New Straits Times on Dec 21, last year, Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, suggested higher education to lead the way in humanising education.
The Rector of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) said "the unbundling of an elitist education will open up ...where learning is not limited to within institutions, but can take place everywhere, where students are encouraged to (re)learn outside of classrooms".
This is how volunteerism is imperative, as it teaches the volunteers lessons that would not be taught in the classroom.
He added that "engaging with the community and exposing them to real societal demands and reality on the ground will allow for the implementation of real solutions".
Volunteerism is common among the IIUM community, so, "humanising education" is imprinted in the DNA of IIUM students.
On Dec 25, last year, Persatuan Pelajar Islam Selangor Darul Ehsan and Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia IIUM Gombak organised a volunteering effort to clean the houses of the recent flood victims.
Forty IIUM students signed up for the effort that took place at Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Tampoi in Dengkil. Their arrival was welcomed by the villagers who were affected by the floods.
After a short briefing from the organiser, student volunteers then chose and collected the equipment provided by Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia Selangor to clean the houses.
They worked diligently from 10am and took a short break for lunch and Zuhur prayer before continuing until the evening. The feeling of satisfaction after all the work was done overrode the exhaustion.
To clean the mud coating the houses, an indescribable value was found — teamwork. The said value was achieved within a day even though the volunteers didn't know each other.
This activity is the manifestation of "Humanising Education", as it implants imperative values in humans to solve problems, explained Tan Sri Dzulkifli.
May the soul of volunteerism remain strong for the students in the garden of knowledge and virtue, with the idea of humanising education being translated into reality among university students and society.
Nur Hakimah Sakeenah
Mohd Zaini
Mahallah Representative Committee
Mahallah Sumayyah
International Islamic University Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times