• AAMEP, Alumni Blog, Newsletter - June 2024
• June 21, 2024

Transformative Islamic Schools in Thailand – Supporting Global Citizens

by Preecha Zaki Roengsamut, AIMEP 2022

Chaiman , The Foundation of Prateeptham for Education, Prateeptham Foundation School
Vice Director, Sangkhom Islam Wittaya School
Coordinator, Islamic Integrated School Network Thailand

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Islam is Thailand’s largest religious minority, with approximately 7.5 million Thai Muslims or about 12% of the total 71.8 million Thai population.  Almost all Thai Muslims are Sunni; a small number are Shia, and an even smaller number can also be found who follow other Islamic schools of thought. This is living proof of the freedom of religion enjoyed by the Thai people. Thailand’s diverse population includes immigrants from around the world. Thailand’s Muslim community comprises two main groups: 44% who are Malay Muslims in the southern provinces and 56% who are naturalised Muslims of different ethnic backgrounds residing throughout the country. 

Sangkhom Islam Wittaya School community

In the field of education, the National Education Act stipulates that individuals, families, communities, and social and religious institutions, including non-governmental organisations, shall have the right to provide basic education and shall be entitled to equitable benefits given by the government. Thai Muslim youth thus have the full liberty to begin to study Islam as it is offered by various Islamic schools and organisations from a very young age. Usually, young Thai Muslims are first enrolled in a pre-school development center (rawdah) run by local mosques. After that, they are enrolled at a centre for religious and ethics training (tadika) also run by local mosques and the private sector. At the primary and secondary school levels, Thai Muslims are able to choose between attending regular schools, private Islamic schools, or private schools that offer instruction in both religious studies and regular subjects. This third option is possible because Muslims successfully persuaded the government to recognise the religio-moral benefits of an integrated education through which Muslim identity could be maintained and Muslim young people can be morally prepared for modern professional life. This led to a transformation of the Pondok system – the independent traditional Islamic institutions that are the oldest educational institutions in Southeast Asia. This is an institution that has had both religious and educational roles since the 15th century. Many have today been transformed to establish Islamic Private Schools in Thailand. 

Contemporary Islamic education in Thailand combines a religious education with the national Thai curriculum. This is partially supported by the government under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. At the university level, the government set up the College of Islamic Studies in Pattani Province in 1988. In the same year, a private Islamic University was set up, named Fatoni University. Since that time, a number of universities across Thailand have established Islamic Education faculties.  In addition, the education of Thai Muslim youth has always been well linked to the Muslim Ummah. Many centres of education receive financial support and donations in accordance with Islamic principles from Islamic charitable organisations. A number of Thai Muslim students receive government scholarships from Muslim countries to further their studies abroad.

Prateeptham Foundation School in Krabi Province and Sangkhom Islam Wittaya School in Songkhla Province are both Islamic Schools in the Southern provinces of Thailand which I am involved with. We transformed our Pondok institutions at both of these schools into Private Islamic Schools which combine Islamic education and the national Thai curriculum, with enrolment starting from kindergarten through to primary and secondary levels of education.  

The existence of these schools is related to the important question of how Muslim minorities in the modern world preserve their identities without isolating themselves from others, and also remaining engaged with the wider community to live together in harmony. The schools provide Islamic and modern knowledge for the younger generation, and establish networks with other Muslim minority countries. This helps us to achieve our aim for Thai Muslim youth – to have opportunities to study in higher education, join exchange programs or virtual collaborations, and supporting them to be open-minded global citizens.   

In 2010, the Islamic school administrators group agreed to establish the Islamic Integrated School Network of Thailand of which I am both a founder and the current coordinator. The Network has brought together more than 100 school members from around the country since 2010. The Network working group has connected Thai Muslim schools to an international network, helping us to ensure the quality of Islamic schools are the same as government schools and international schools in Thailand. In the early years, our Network collaborated with Indonesian institutions, then Malaysian and Singaporean educational institutions as well. 

We have implemented several programs such as: 

• Islamic School Administrators Educational Visit Program to ASEAN Muslim Organisations
• Hosting for International Communities Services by ASEAN University Students
• Welcoming Foreign Institutions for study visit programs
• Teacher and student international exchange program
• Class sit-in programs for short-term visitors, and
• Virtual exchange programs

In 2019, Prateeptham Foundation School and the Integrated School Network hosted the inaugural Australia–ASEAN Muslim Exchange Program (AAMEP) delegation from Australia. The delegates had the opportunity to learn about our rich history and diverse community first-hand when they visited our school, as well as the Laemsak Daoist Temple, the Laemsak Buddhist Temple and a local Chinese Cultural Centre. 

This visit greatly inspired both teachers and students to design teaching plans to improve our students’ ability to communicate about their community-based tourism projects and to teach others about our culture at an international level. This curriculum program was then introduced to others in the Network so that they could implement it as well in preparing our students to be global citizens. 

Finally, in 2020 and 2021 some of the Islamic School Administrators were successful in joining the AAMEP program. The Islamic School Network has held meetings to share what Thai delegates learned from the various organisations in Australia. And the best practices of Muslim communities in Australia have been successfully applied to our Thai Muslim community – including interfaith activities, and the relationship of Muslims communities in Australia with each other, the government, and with the wider community. 

These experiences have been delivered through training in Islamic organisations and schools, as well as through online articles, social media and local journals. Currently, the Islamic School Network are still working to adapt the experience from this program and to initiate collaborations with the other countries who took part.   

In conclusion, Islamic education in Thailand is a dynamic and diverse sector which has a significant and positive impact on young Muslims in Thailand, preparing them for a career and life as a Thai citizen as well as preserving their identity and religious and cultural heritage. Islamic schools also exist as part of a well-established and mutually beneficial ecosystem of educational institutions across Southeast Asia and the world, that work together to benefit our youth and teachers by implementing best practices and developments in education.

AAMEP Australian delegates visit Southern Thailand in 2019

Mosaic Connections

Source: Transformative Islamic Schools in Thailand – Supporting Global Citizens – Mosaic Connections