ALOR SETAR, Aug 16 ― The Education Ministry is urged to focus on efforts to make Islamic Studies a compulsory subject in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

Chairman of the Kedah State Education and Human Resource Committee Dr Salmee Said said this was because the knowledge was vital in creating a generation of youths who were instilled with good morals from school days.

"if it is not a compulsory exam subject, they (the students) will not care and will not be interested to study until (now) they cannot be bothered about Islam,” she said when winding-up the debate on the motion  of thanks to the Sultan of Kedah at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.

She was replying to a question from Mohd Azam Abd Samat (PAS-Sungai Limau) who wanted to know if there was a suggestion to make the subject a compulsory pass in Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and SPM so that children will give importance to Islamic Studies.

However, Dr Salmee said the state government left it totally to the ministry under the leadership of Maszlee Malik to determine the direction of the national education policy including the academic syllabus.

She said attention must be given to the religious aspect from kindergarten to university in order to instil morals and religious faith among the younger generation. ― Bernama