Sharael Taha on Administration of Muslim Law (Amendment) Bill

In parliament on Tuesday (Nov 3), MP Sharael Taha raised questions about the scope of education that will be offered by the Singapore College of Islamic Studies (SCIS). First, on breadth – under a tie-up with the Singapore University of Social Sciences, SCIS students will have access to social sciences modules. Mr Sharael asked if this might be expanded to other fields such as special education, data analytics, business finance or AI governance. Far from diluting the Islamic education core, he said a strong foundation in theology becomes more valuable when graduates can apply it to current challenges. Second, on depth – what is the road map for post-graduate programmes, specialist diplomas and continuing education for practising asatizah, he asked. Mr Sharael also sought details about funding for the college. With the government set to support non-religious components of SCIS programmes, he wanted to know how expenditure will be allocated for facilities that can be used for secular and religious purposes, such as the library and computer systems.