© islamic education trust, nigeria beyond academic...
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Beyond Academic Excellence:Life Skills and Extra-mural Courses for Students ofNew Horizons College (IBERR / AMS UK 2013)Over the past 10 15 years Muslims in many parts of Nigeria have woken
up to the need to establish Islamically-oriented independent (private)
schools at nursery, primary and secondary levels where children can get the
best of modern education and Islamic orientation.
This write-up is a humble effort to help proprietors and Head Teachers
of such schools to develop a curriculum that gives the children the best start
in life. It is also meant for parents of students in New Horizons College,
associations of Muslim Schools in all parts of the world and members of
IBERR (International Board for Educational Research and Resources) with
whom we work hand in hand at the international level.
The first few years of a new school are not easy, and proprietors and
administrators have much to do to get competent and stable staff, to handle
finances, to equip the school, to get approval from the Ministry of Education
and to face the National examinations.
At the same time Muslim proprietors and staff need to take a number of
decisions in answer to the question “What makes an Islamic school
“Islamic”?”
Proprietors and parents have many different answers to this question.
For some, what they want is just Islamic Studies, Arabic and Qur'anic
recitation, plus the National Curriculum. Some parents also want their
children not only to read the whole Qur'an with tajwid but also to
memorize it. Others would like the medium of communication in the
school to be Arabic.
The school eventually faces reality and decides on how to balance the
wishes of Muslim parents and the demands of the National Curriculum.
However, on the basis of our practical experience, the availability of
Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Qur'anic recitation does not make an
Islamic school “Islamic” unless the school is lucky enough to have really
charismatic teachers who can bring the subjects to life. Unfortunately such
teachers are rare, and for most students Islamic Studies is just another subject
© Islamic Education Trust, Nigeria 2013
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that is not considered very important for West African Examination
Council (WAEC) exams or university admission. Very few students opt for
Arabic Language for WAEC. It is hard to pass and is soon forgotten when a
student leaves school, and Qur'anic mallams (i.e. traditional local teachers)
do not usually teach the meaning of the Qur'an in English or in vernacular.
Due to this scanty and superficial Islamic teaching there is little
behavioural difference between the graduate of a secular school and the
graduate of a so-called “Islamic” school.
It is against this background that New Horizons College in Minna set up
an “Islamic Orientation Board” to look more closely into “what makes an
Islamic school “Islamic?” The Board, drawn from proprietors, school
management, selected school staff and selected staff of the Islamic Education
Trust, looked into the entire student experience within the school, from the
call for Fajr prayer and throughout the day until “lights out” in the night. A
school that is predominately boarding has several advantages since there is
time for many activities in the evenings and at weekends and more
opportunity to monitor and counsel boarders in terms of conduct, attitudes,
personal problems and spiritual matters.
Over the past 10 years the College has gradually introduced a good
number of programmes that are not part of the National Curriculum but are
in many ways even more important than many of the “subjects” in the
curriculum, which are often quickly forgotten as soon as West African
Examination Council (WAEC) exams are out of the way and students focus
on their university academic priorities.
Each programme adopted by New Horizons College is designed to help
the student to grow and think and act as Muslims. Some of the programmes
are designed to draw deeper meaning from subjects or topics that are
normally taught from a secular perspective in accordance with the National
Curriculum.
Some programmes are taught as part of the regular daily classes. Some
replace the usual time-table. Some are conducted in the afternoons or at
weekends.
Over the 6 - year stay of students in New Horizons College they are
expected to experience each of the following courses, programmes and
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TRAINING COURSES/WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS
Islam and Dialogue for Peaceful Co-existence
Teachers and others wishing to take this course for
da'wah or teaching purposes should apply to the Director
of DIN (Da'wah Institute of Nigeria), Islamic Education
Trust, P.M.B. 229, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria; email:
.
Courses are organized at various times of the year at
different levels.
Islamic Perspectives and Other Courses
If any school wishes to adopt Islamic Perspectives or
any of the other courses mentioned, it should contact the
Principal, New Horizons College, P.O. Box 3066, Minna,
Niger State, Nigeria; email: . The
College from time to time receives small groups for
discussion, training and observation of the courses in
action. There is a modest fee for accommodation, feeding
and workshops.
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© Islamic Education Trust, Nigeria 2013
COURSES
SECTION 1: SECONDARY LEVEL
1. Self-discovery Adventure (Junior Secondary Students)
2. World Geography (JSS 2) (1 period per week)
3. World History (JSS 2, JSS 3, SS 1, SS 2) (1 period per week)
4. Islamic Perspectives (JSS 2, JSS 3, SS 1, SS 2) (Juniors 2 periods,
Seniors 1 period per week)
5. Public Speaking (JSS 2, JSS 3) (1 period per week)
6. Islam and Dialogue for Peaceful Co-existence (Senior Secondary 1
and 2) (2 whole days for each class at the beginning of each term).
7. Personal development and Leadership (Seniors)
8. a) Girl Talk (SS 2&3 Girls)
b) Guys' Gist (SS 2& 3 Boys)
9. Spouse Selection in Islam: (SS 3 Boys & Girls)
10. Business and Islamic Financial Literacy (SS 1 and SS 2)
11. Career Counselling (SS 1 and SS 2)
12. The Six Thinking Hats (SS 1 and SS 2)
13. Prefects Training Activities
14. Qur'anic Arabic (SS 1 and SS 2)
15. Nasihah (Good Advice) (all students)
16. Mind your Manners (all students)
SUMMARY OF PROGRAMMES
1. Self-Discovery Adventure (JSS)
This course, designed for students in the Junior Secondary classes,
teaches skills and principles for achieving a high level of
effectiveness in all aspects of life.
The students are introduced to the concepts of 'planting deep
roots', deliberate and planned habit formation and visual goal
setting. They are also provided with practical hints on character
building.
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The aim of the course is to:
awaken the students' minds to the influence that they are
capable of wielding over their lives;
inspire them to make wiser and more fulfilling choices on a
regular basis.
2. World Geography (JSS 2)
(One period per week for 1 year)
In JSS 2 the students begin World History. The course covers:
Stars, galaxies, the Big Bang, the Sun, the Solar system, Planets, the
Earth, Seasons and Climate, Water cycle, Oxygen Cycle, Surface of
the earth, continents, oceans and seas, political maps, globes,
countries and capital cities.
The course then turns to visual understanding of climate and its
effects on the land, vegetation, animals and human habitation, and
lastly climate change. Students taking this course need to have some
basic knowledge of World Geography.
Source Materials:
Planet Earth, State of the Planet by David Altenbrough, An
Inconvenient Truth by Al-Gore (all DVD’s).
3. World History (JSS 2, JSS 3, SS 1, SS 2)
(One period per week for 4 years)
This course is intended to fill a great gap in the National Syllabus. It
begins with the Stone Age and the great civilizations of Mesopotamia,
Egypt, China, India, the Mediterranean, Meso-America, and the
Muslim world and modern world history.
Source materials: The Complete Book of the World History.
American Educational Publishing. ISBN 1-56189-089-8 plus assorted
DVD's on civilizations of the past.
4. Islamic Perspectives (JSS 1, JSS 2, JSS 3, SS 1, SS 2)
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(Juniors twice a week, Seniors once a week)
Islamic Perspectives is a course devised by New Horizons College and
developed over the past 8 years. The College realised that
implementing “Islamization of Knowledge” (as proposed by some
Muslim scholars since the World Conferences on Islamic Education
in the 1970's and 1980's) would not be feasible or practical in the
current secular educational environment.
Instead of replacing the secular system, the College has introduced a
parallel Islamic approach to knowledge. Students therefore learn and
fully understand the secular approach to the sciences and other fields
of study, but also, under the guidance of a separate teacher, they
explore the subjects from an Islamic perspective and thereby enrich
their understanding of the subjects and develop a greater appreciation
of Allah's creation and His bounties to mankind.
“Islamic Perspectives” also covers a Muslim's way of thinking and
his/her manners and conduct in accordance with the Qur'an and the
Sunnah.
Source books and DVD's are as follows:
JSS 1: Islamic Manners and Social Conduct by B. Aisha Lemu,
Abdullahi Orire and Asiya Rodrigo (available at Ilmi
Bookshop, IET Minna).
JSS 2: Wonders of Allah's Creation: Books and DVD's by Harun
Yahya in Turkey and Islamic Bookshops in the U.K.
JSS 3: Steps on the Right Path: Selected Hadith on Moral behaviour
and other topics Selected by B. Aisha Lemu and Adama
Alhassan Dolley (available at Ilmi Bookshop, I.E.T. Minna)
SS 1: For Men of Understanding: Further material on Allah's
creation, animal behaviour, water cycle, nitrogen cycle. (Ref.
Book & DVD, Harun Yahya in Turkey, and Islamic
bookshops in the U.K.)
SS 2: Islam the Natural Way: How to live and think as a Muslim in
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relation to family, community, work place, nation, ummah,
people of other religions.
e-mail address for Harun Yahya books in the U.K.
Ta Ha Publishers ( )
e-mail address for Islam the Natural Way in the U.K.
MELS Publishers ( )
Note: Teachers may draw on the materials used by New Horizons
College in teaching these courses but need not follow the New
Horizons model strictly. In fact, it would be better if teachers pick
what they like and leave out what they are not enthusiastic about.
Teachers should choose topics that theyare passionate about because
in order for Islamic Perspectives to retain its vivacity, it must be
teacher inspired and student centred. Teachers need to be flexible
about what topics to teach. It is advisable if possible to give copies of
the Harun Yahya books to students due to the richness of the
illustrations and text.
Influencial Movies: The following films available on video or DVD
are suitable for screening for students at weekends or any
convenient time:
Junior Level:
1. The Message (a moving portrayal of the life of Prophet
Muhammad from his Call to Prophethood until he died).
2. Adam's World: A “Sesame Street” for Muslims.
3. Lion of the Desert (the story of Umar Mukhtar and his
struggle to defend his country against colonial occupation).
4. Pathways to Islam (three young Muslim men narrate their
journey to Islam).
5. Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet. (A documentary on the
impact of the Prophet’s message on modern Muslims in
America.)
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Senior Level:
1. Malcolm X: The story of his life and how he found Islam.
2. Hotel Rwanda: A film based on the historical events revealing
people's behaviour during the Rwandan genocide. The story
raises moral issues.
3. To kill a Mockingbird: A film about a lawyer's defense of a
black man wrongly accused of a crime in the deep South of the
USA.
4. Kingdom of Heaven: A glimpse of the Crusades and the
wisdom and courage of Saladin (Salahuddin).
5. Public Speaking (JSS 2 and JSS 3)
This course concentrates on building confidence in the students and
empowering them with the essential skills and resources for making
effective public presentations.
The course covers everything from overcoming public speaking
phobia to voice projection, body language, preparation, how to
present to different audiences, the use of visual aids and great tips on
how to make effective, memorable presentations. It also lays a firm
foundation for debating.
The confidence built by this course has a tremendous impact on the
self-esteem of the students.
6. Islam and Dialogue for Peaceful Co-existence (SS 1 and SS 2)
At the beginning of each term 2 days are set aside for SS 1 and SS 2
students to do this course. The topics treated are often those
controversial ones that are not taught in the Islamic Studies syllabus
and are commonly misunderstood by Muslims and non-Muslims
alike. The course also includes the issue of extremism. The aim is for
the students to understand the issues concerned, and the various
interpretations of the scholars, to draw their own conclusions and be
able to correct Muslims or non-Muslims who have misconceptions
about Islam.
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(Teachers and others wishing to take this course for da'wah or
educational purposes should apply to the Director of DIN (Da'wah
Institute of Nigeria), Islamic Education Trust, to be included in its
training programmes. Training materials will be provided for trainees
which can later serve as resource materials when conducting the
course in a school.)
7. Personal Development and Leadership Course (Seniors)
This course teaches skills and principles for achieving a high level of
effectiveness in all areas of life. It aims to
provide practical guidelines for attaining effectiveness in all
aspects of life through self-mastery (channeling energies in the
best direction; attaining full emotional maturity; maintaining
optimism and personal discipline.);
explore essential skills for living with and leading others (Skillful
communication, creating an “Everyone can win” environment
and creative co-operation).
When it was first conducted for New Horizons College students,
it lasted for just about three hours. In order to enable students
absorb it deeply and have sufficient time to apply what they are
taught and be mentored accordingly, it was later designed to last
for about two and a half sessions. In its current form, the first part
begins in SS 1 and ends in SS 3. It can be compressed into shorter
periods if necessary.
8. Pre-Marital Counseling (Girl Talk/Guy Gist) (SS 2 & 3 Girls / SS
2 & 3 Boys)
As students approach the end of their secondary school education,
there is a lot of pressure on them to decide which higher institution to
apply to and how to choose a course of study. However, there is very
little attention given to the pressures that come with life in the higher
institutions, a place where there is almost absolute freedom.
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During this course, the facilitators address thorny and sensitive issues
such as handling interaction with members of the opposite gender,
making informed choices about avoiding or starting relationships,
dealing with issues relating to drugs, cults, etc. and navigating the
pressure-filled world of academics. The facilitators use anecdotes,
stories from true life experiences, practical examples and exercises,
and short drama skits. The facilitators' casual and down-to-earth
manner encourages the students to ask questions freely and share
their thoughts. At the end of the two part course, the students often
leave equipped with tips on how to balance their academic, social and
spiritual life in higher institutions.
9. Spouse Selection in Islam (SS 3)
This course empowers youth to know the Islamic perspective on
various issues related to spouse selection.
Topics discussed include the position of Islam on personal choice and
arranged marriages, investigating a proposed match, dating, medical
testing, inter-ethnic/inter-cultural and inter-faith marriages, bridal
gifts (mahr/sadaqi) and other wedding rites, family planning,
methods of child-bearing, and rights and responsibilities in both
monogamous and polygamous marriages.
The advice of the Prophet (SAW) to marry for faith and character is
explored in-depth, including how these qualities may be reliably
identified in a potential spouse. The role of du'a (such as istikhara),
systematic evaluation and interpretation of “signs” in the process of
spouse selection is also discussed.
Lastly, the course explains the perspective of Islam on marriage as a
foundation for the development of a Muslim's faith.
10. Business and Islamic Financial Literacy (SS 1 and 2)
Without financial wisdom, money is lost by those who have it. With
financial wisdom, money is secured by those who don't have it, in sh'
Allah.
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The course covers the vital but basic principles of saving, income,
increasing streams of income, investing, debt-management, Islamic
ethical investments and the importance of halal wealth-building.
11. Career Counselling (SS 1 and 2)
Decisions about your career impact on every other thing in your life.
How do you go about your choice? Do you have a plan? Students are
counseled to think of their strengths, not their weaknesses. Successful
people don't try hard to improve what they're bad at; they capitalize
on what they're good at. They are persistent. They are ready to be
bold and to learn from their mistakes.
Truly successful people deploy themselves in the service of
something larger than themselves. The course helps youth to leave a
legacy.
12. The Six Thinking Hats (SS 1 and 2)
The Six Thinking Hats is a thinking tool developed by Edward
deBono, an internationally acclaimed scholar and thinker.
It is a method of assessing ideas, suggestions, problems and issues from
different useful perspectives that ensure systematic exploration in the
process of decision-making. It minimizes adversarial argument and
leads to wise decisions arising from the consideration of all relevant
factors.
13. Prefects' Training Activities
As soon as the prefects are appointed, their formal training in
leadership, organization and people management starts. Prior to this
time, they were asked to shadow the old prefects while the staff
observe and guide them.
The formal training includes several activities.
Gung Ho: A course in team building and team work based on the
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life styles of some animals created by Allah.
8 Seeds of Leadership: A course which focuses on core principles
necessary for effective leadership. Lessons are drawn from hadith,
Qur'an and the examples of true life leaders.
Team Building and Leadership, Games and Exercises: These are
games intended to teach them spirit, trust, communication and
camaraderie.
Finally, the prefects have a barbecue with the facilitators, hostel
staff and some academic staff. The aim of this is to promote
bonding between the prefects on the one hand and the prefects
and staff on the other hand.
These training activities last for about seven hours, though the
training for prefects is a continuous process involving the facilitators
and key college staff. Adopting a hands-on approach, the training staff
reinforce the lessons from the training activities, address problems as
they occur, counsel, mentor, give positive redirection and offer
personal and spiritual advice as often as possible.
14. Qur'anic Arabic (SS 1 and SS 2)
All students in SS 1 and SS 2 take one period per week of Qur'anic
Arabic, after having completed 3 years of Arabic Language in
Junior Secondary.
The subject “Qur'anic Arabic” empowers students to understand
the meaning of their five daily prayers, supplications and
recitation of the Qur'an, which they study throughout their stay
in the school.
“Qur'anic Arabic” enriches their understanding of the
vocabulary of the Qur'an by connecting related words through
their linguistic roots.
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