By Nazli Ibrahim
PHNOM PENH, 29 Oct — Over 80,000 copies of seven textbooks by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) has been translated into Cham and Khmer languages as part of the Cambodian government’s initiative in adopting the Islamic religious studies module introduced by the Selangor government.
Jais deputy director (operations) Salwana Ahmad Dahlan said a total of RM476,280 was disbursed for the translation and publication of the 84,000 copies.
“Jais has agreed to help change the Islamic religious studies system in Cambodia in stages, where the first phase is through its Strategic Plan of the Cambodian Islamic Education System Development Project (2013 – 2017), and the second phase via strengthening the 2018 – 2022 Strategic Plan.
“Within seven years, a lot of initiatives have been implemented, including the translation and publication of textbooks into the Cham and Khmer languages, teachers’ training programmes, distribution of school supplies, and guidelines on educational management in the schools,” said Salwana at the announcement ceremony of the Cambodian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah Agama (PSRA) examination results and launch of the PKNS textbook contribution at Masjid Ammar bin Yasir, KM9 in Crang Comreh, here on Sunday.
Salwana said the cost of the publication of textbooks was contributed by the Selangor state government-linked companies, corporate companies, and NGOs.
She said Jais had also assisted in the implementation of the Cambodian PSRA examination for the first time, which had included 268 students from 12 Islamic religious schools as well as six Jais officers and 25 Cambodian teachers in the preparation of the examination papers.
She said the exam had included the syllabus on moral studies, Arabic language, and areas of Quranic studies.
