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Journal of Moral Education

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Islamic Education teachers' perceptions

of the teaching of akhlq in Malaysian
secondary schools
Ab. Halim Tamuri

National University of Malaysia, Malaysia

Version of record first published: 21 Sep 2010.

To cite this article: Ab. Halim Tamuri (2007): Islamic Education teachers' perceptions of the
teaching of akhlq in Malaysian secondary schools, Journal of Moral Education, 36:3, 371-386
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03057240701553347

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Journal of Moral Education

Vol. 36, No. 3, September 2007, pp. 371386

Islamic Education teachers

perceptions of the teaching of akhlaq in
Malaysian secondary schools
Ab. Halim Tamuri*
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National University of Malaysia, Malaysia

The teaching of akhlaq (moral values) in Islamic Education lessons is one of the important aspects
in the Integrated Curriculum for Secondary Schools in Malaysia. Its purpose is to develop the
potential of the individual in a holistic, balanced and integrated manner, encompassing the
intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical aspects in order to create a balanced and harmonious
human being with high moral standards. The aim of this article is to examine teachers perceptions
of the teaching of akhlaq at secondary school level. Data were collected from 22 respondents about
the process of teaching and learning akhlaq, the school environment and the internal and external
factors that might influence the students akhlaq. The study found that most of the Islamic
Education teachers interviewed were satisfied with the process of teaching and learning akhlaq in
their schools. Despite a few weaknesses in terms of implementation, they believed that school
activities, religious activities and school regulations at their schools gave positive and significant
contributions to the development of students akhlaq. It was also found that peers, negative
attitudes among some teachers, parents and local communities, the mass media, entertainment
centres and the demands of jobs had negative influences on the students akhlaq.

Introduction
In 1982, various groups within and outside the Ministry of Education embarked on
planning to work out a national philosophy of education that would provide the
foundation of the educational system in Malaysia (Langgulung, 1993, p. 25). As a
result, a statement of national philosophy of education was successfully formulated
as follows:
Education in Malaysia is an on-going effort towards further developing the potential of
individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are
intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious, based
on a firm belief in and a devotion to God. Such an effort is designed to produce
Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral

*Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University of Malaysia), 43600

UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. Email: abhalim@ukm.my
ISSN 0305-7240 (print)/ISSN 1465-3877 (online)/07/030371-16
# 2007 Journal of Moral Education Ltd
DOI: 10.1080/03057240701553347

372 A. H. Tamuri
standards and who are responsible and capable of achieving a high level of personal well
being as well as being able to contribute to the betterment of society and the nation at
large. (Malaysia Ministry of Education, 1989a, p. 5)

The proclamation of the National Philosophy of Education was generally seen as a

significant stage in the reformation of the education system in Malaysia since the
philosophy became the foundation and guideline of the national education system.
The then Minister of Education explained that:

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The philosophy of education becomes the kernel and the root of our national education
system so that all educational programmes and activities are the reflections from the
principles and values of the philosophy. (Ibrahim, 1989, p. 64)

The formulation of the National Philosophy of Education is also seen as an attempt

to bring the separate, ad hoc and implicit aims into a clear statement of national
educational policy (Ahmad, 1991; Mohd Said, 1991). In fact, there is a relationship
between the philosophy and the previous educational policy, as Langgulung (1993,
p. 25) stated: the philosophy of education which was unwritten has now been
written and has become the national philosophy of education. Religious and moral
values are taken seriously in the Malaysian educational system since the statement
has clearly set out some of the important criteria of Malaysian citizenship, such as
belief in and devotion to God, knowledge, possession of high moral standards,
competence and responsibility. The philosophy emphasises the ethical, knowledgebased, balanced and harmonious development of individuals.
Thus the introduction of the Integrated Curriculum for Secondary Schools in
1988, followed by the Integrated Primary School Curriculum in 1994, is a significant
attempt to translate the notion of the National Philosophy of Education into practice
in secondary and primary education. The philosophy clearly puts an emphasis on an
integrated approach in order to produce individuals who are virtuous, knowledgeable, balanced and harmonious as well as to achieve national integration. The
introduction of sixteen universal sacred values in the Integrated Curriculum for
Secondary Schools is an important element of building a morally-based education
system and is designed to eliminate the notion of value-free knowledge (Noordin,
1993). The values are compassion/empathy, self-reliance, humility, respect, love,
justice, freedom, courage, cleanliness of body and mind, honesty, diligence, cooperation, moderation, gratitude, rationality and public-spiritedness. In theory,
these values should be incorporated or integrated in the process of teaching and
learning across all subjects of the Integrated Curriculum for Secondary Schools. As
far as Muslim students are concerned, they are expected to behave morally and
exemplify righteous characteristics, both of which are based on the teaching of Islam.
In achieving this objective, Islamic Education plays an important role in nurturing
Muslim children in Islamic teaching, particularly the aspect of akhlaq (moral values).
Background of the study
As already mentioned, since the introduction of the Integrated Curriculum for
Secondary Schools, the subject of Islamic Education has been compulsory for all

Views on teaching of moral values in Malaysia 373

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Muslim students in primary and secondary schools and one of the important aspects
of the subject is the teaching of akhlaq. Today, for example, children are taught the
principles of Akhlaq Islamiyyah (Islamic Ethics) at the primary level, followed by the
Islamic Moral Code based on Islamic ethics at the secondary level from Form 1 to
Form 5 (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, 2002). Basically, the teaching of akhlaq
is designed to achieve one of the main principles of the formulation of the Integrated
Curriculum for Secondary Schools, which are shared by all subjects of the
curriculumthe emphasis on noble values (Noordin, 1993). Of the various
objectives that have been drawn up for secondary education, two in particular are
directly related to human development and morality, namely:
1. to acquire, appreciate and practise accepted moral values
2. to develop a deep sense of responsibility and to be prepared to serve the religion
and nation. (Malaysia, Ministry of Education, 1989b, p. 2.)
Islamic Education is particularly significant for Muslim children although it is
treated only as one among many subjects in the Integrated Curriculum for
Secondary Schools. It is the central objective for this subject that it should provide at
least the fundamental knowledge or the basic teaching of Islam (fard al-ain), such as
ibadah (worship), aqidah (belief) and akhlaq (ethics), as well as the ability to read
Quran to the students. Ahmad (1996, p. 181) claims that:
Islamic Education gives comprehensive emphasis on and attention to the strengthening
of Islamic faith, the understanding of the Islamic characteristics and way of life, the
guidance of good manners and virtuous ethicsIslamic Education emphasises the
practical and experiential aspects.

The philosophy of Islamic Education has also been officially formulated as follows:
Islamic Education is a continuous effort to deliver knowledge, skill and emotional
experience based on al-Quran and al-Sunnah in order to build behaviour, skill,
personality and a view of life as the servant of Allah, responsible for self development,
the community, the environment and the nation for the sake of prosperity and salvation
in this world and in the hereafter. (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, 2002, p. 2)

Today this continuous attempt can be seen in the latest statement of the aim of
Islamic Education, which is focused on the aspiration to educate good Muslim
students:
The aim of Islamic Education is to produce Muslims who are knowledgeable, devoted,
pious, well-mannered and who also have virtuous characteristics based on al-Quran
and al-Sunnah to become the righteous servants and vicegerents of Allah and contribute
to civilization of race and nation. (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, 2002, p. 2)

Several specific objectives of Islamic Education subject are set out, one of which is
directly concerned with akhlaq: After learning Islamic Education in the Integrated
Curriculum for Secondary Schools, the students should have excellent akhlaq and be
able to practise noble values as the foundation of a good nation (Kementerian
Pendidikan Malaysia, 2002, p. 2). Basically, the emphasis on akhlaq is to develop the
students towards the personality of a Muslim and a Mumin (believer). In terms of
implementation, akhlaq education in secondary schools is now taken more seriously

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374 A. H. Tamuri
in the education system than it used to be, since the earlier syllabus of the subject of
Islamic Religious Knowledge did not have a specific topic on akhlaq. For example, in
the earlier syllabus of Islamic Education in the Integrated Curriculum for Secondary
Schools, the teaching of akhlaq came in the section entitled Islamic Characteristics
and Way of Life (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, 1988).
In accordance with the earlier syllabus, there were several topics relating to akhlaq
in the Islamic Education textbooks that were provided for all Muslim students. In
brief, there were twelve topics having regard to akhlaq in Form 1, namely: the
characteristics of the life of a devout person; adab (ethical principles) towards Allah,
the Prophet, family, teachers, friends and neighbours; hard work and diligence;
dedication; the purification of soul; the benefit of cleanliness and care of ourselves;
and environmental cleanliness. There were seven topics in Form 2, namely, courage
to stand for truth; moderation (wasatiah) that promises excellence in life;
beneficence (infaq); thankfulness; politeness; Islamic brotherhood; and integration.
For Form 3, there were also seven topics, namely, thinking as the basis for
development; socialisation into the right path; wise actions; trust and integrity
(amanah); sacred and honourable sacrifice; happy family; peaceful community; and
the danger of slandering. In terms of the teaching-learning process, the teachers
usually used the Syllabus Description Manuals and Teaching Manuals as their
general guidelines. These manuals suggested several appropriate teaching methods
for every topic, for example, discussions, narration of stories, explanation, debate,
lecture, drill, writing articles, watching and listening to audio and videotapes, visiting
historical places, simulation of activities, acting, note taking, problem solving,
practical activities, fieldwork, group learning, demonstration and projects. All the
Islamic Education textbooks were written in Jawi (the Malay writing system that
uses the Arabic alphabet). The main aim of using Jawi was to encourage the students
to understand and appreciate the skills of traditional Malay writing as well as to
familiarise the students with the alphabet of the Quran.
At the lower secondary level, Islamic Education was still allocated six periods per
week (of 3540 minutes each). Four periods were included in the general timetable,
i.e. three periods for general instruction and one for practice, and the other two were
for Islamic co-curricular (i.e. supplementary) activities. At the upper secondary
level, Islamic Education was allocated four periods a week. Accordingly, the teaching
of akhlaq occurred once every two weeks since the time allocated to general
instruction was limited to three periods per week. Each section in the subject of
Islamic Education had to be taught alternately. The practical period was usually
used for the jamaah prayers (Zuhur and Asr) since most secondary schools today
have surau (prayer rooms). The remaining two periods were used to improve the
students abilities in reading Quran and also to improve their understanding about
Islam. In addition to the above lessons based on the syllabus of the Integrated
Curriculum for Secondary Schools, the school also conducted several co-curricular
activities and programmes. These co-curricular programmes aimed to develop the
students knowledge and strengthen their attachment to Islam (Bahagian Pendidikan
Islam, n.d.).

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Views on teaching of moral values in Malaysia 375

After nearly thirteen years of implementation, the syllabus of Islamic Education in
the Integrated Curriculum for Secondary Schools was reviewed by the Ministry of
Education and some minor modifications were introduced in the year 2002. For
example, for the secondary school, the section of Jawi and Hadith are new aspects in
the syllabus. In term of the teaching of akhlaq, the section entitled Islamic
Characteristics and Way of Life has also been replaced by the Islamic Moral Code
based on Islamic Ethics. Generally, there were no significant changes in the syllabus
and the changes are mainly focused on teaching and learning strategies, such as the
emphasis on using information and computer technology and new teaching aids. In
the new syllabus, the content and the topics relating to akhlaq are similar to the
previous one, for example, the adab of students daily life; adab in social interactions
or relations; adab in practising ibadah (worship); adab towards parents and family;
adab in studying knowledge; and adab towards Allah and the Prophets (Kementerian
Pelajaran Malaysia, 2002, pp. 1516).
From the above outline of the concepts, strategy, aims and objectives of the
subject of Islamic Education, the present teaching of akhlaq can be seen as a positive
attempt to educate Muslim adolescents in secondary schools. It seems that the
development of the personality of the students has been considered more seriously in
the syllabus by the introduction of the section on Islamic Characteristics and Way of
Life, the new section of the Islamic Moral Code based on Islamic Ethics and the
inculcation of the sixteen sacred values in other subjects. In general, the syllabuss
contents in terms of akhlaq are in line with the Islamic concept of akhlaq. They cover
the integrative aspects of akhlaq in Islam, i.e. akhlaq in relation to Allah, His
Prophet, parents, teachers, society and the universe, as discussed by Islamic scholars
(al-Qardawi, 1981; Hatem, 1987).
Despite these positive aspects, some weaknesses have been identified. For
example, there is a problem in using Jawi in Islamic Education textbooks specifically
for those students who cannot read Jawi script. Such students do not receive
maximum benefit from the textbooks but depend merely on the teachers
explanation in their classroom or on other sources that are written in roman script.
Other problems found in the akhlaq lessons include a lack of educational resources
and the latest teaching aids, and insufficient time (once a week or once every two
weeks when it is alternated with other topics in Islamic Education), especially for the
floating classes. This term refers to the combining of students from more than two
classes for Islamic Education lessons and, as a result, the allocated time and activities
planned by teachers for their students are significantly reduced.
As discussed earlier, the main purpose of education in Islam is the balanced and
integrated growth of individuals (Ashraf, 1993). Since education has a significant
relationship with the development of students akhlaq, it may be useful to examine
the role of the school and the teacher. Nowadays, due to the complexity and
development of life, the task of education is almost entirely taken over by formal
institutions such as schools and universities, though Sahadat (1997, p. 27) describes
school as the second level of environment after family in the education of children.
Damon and Colby (1996, p. 32) also state that education has come to mean school

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376 A. H. Tamuri
and school has come to mean a place that delivers information and skills defined by
school professionals who converse about such things mainly with one another.
Concerning the significant relationship between school and teacher, Seyyed Hossein
Nasr (1987) explains that the teacher in Islam has an ethical duty as a murabbi (a
trainer of souls and personalities) and not only a muallim (a transmitter of
knowledge). From another point of view, Rosnani Hashim (1997) and Tamuri and
Ismail (2006) associate teacher with the ethical term adab. A teacher is a muaddib
in that he or she is not only concerned with transmission of skill and knowledge but
also the inculcation of adab which is the discipline of mind, body and soul
(Hashim, 1997, p. 57). Although there is a difference in terms of expression, these
two Arabic terms, murabbi and muaddib, clearly show that the teacher in Islam has
an ethical involvement. In fact, Basheer El-Tom (1981, p. 40) claims that:
He [the teacher] is expected to do his utmost to impress upon the minds of his pupils
the general ethos and the morality of Islam at both the social and the individual
levelprimarily, to be a moral tutorThe teacher is endowed with a further
responsibilitythat of a moral mentor and guide in loco parentis to the pupils under
his care.

The ideal of a teacher in Islam should be refer to the Prophet Muhammad, his
companions and also great Muslim scholars. Halstead (1995, p. 31) states that
teachers were expected not only to be learned, but also to have a deep personal
commitment to faith and to be a living example of virtue and piety which students
could unhesitatingly emulate. This is why Lemu (1991, p. 32) insists that a teacher
who has no taqwa (surrender to Allah) cannot of course exemplify it [a good life].
Generally, in the context of Malaysia, a school today is regarded as a public
institution that is responsible for implementing the educational policies and
programmes that are determined by the authorities. In fact, school today is
responsible not only for the transmission of knowledge and skills, but also for social
and moral development, which was previously parents responsibility. Nowadays,
Islamic Education teachers have considerable responsibilities in the development of
students akhlaq (Tamuri et al., 2004; Tamuri & Ismail, 2006). They are considered
as role-models for students in schools and this responsibility includes encouraging
and building good relationships with students and also exemplifying good deeds to
the students. Based on the previous discussion regarding the significant position of
teachers in teaching and learning, particularly in Islamic Education, this study
attempts to examine the perceptions of Islamic Education teachers of the teaching of
akhlaq in their schools.
Methods
The researcher carried out semi-structured interviews with 22 Islamic Education
teachers (9 male and 13 female), all of whom had experience in teaching the subject
at lower secondary level (Forms 1, 2 and 3). A random selection technique, based on
the list of Islamic teachers in every school, was used to select one teacher from each
school to be interviewed. A second teacher was interviewed if the time allocated by

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Views on teaching of moral values in Malaysia 377

the school was sufficient. Most of the teachers had a diploma or a degree as their
academic qualification; only two teachers held the Malaysian Higher School
Certificate. Twelve of the teachers taught in national secondary schools, three in
technical secondary schools and the rest in national religious secondary schools.
Twelve of them had worked as Islamic Education teachers for 15 years and the
remainder had six or more years of experience teaching the subject.
The questions on the two-page teacher-interview schedules mainly focused on the
process of teaching and learning, the school environment, the internal and external
factors that might influence the students development of akhlaq, co-operation from
parents and suggestions to improve the students akhlaq. During the pilot study,
based on the participants feedback and suggestions, the interview schedule was
refined by the researcher to improve its validity and reliability. In conducting the
interviews the researcher gave a clear statement of confidentiality and made a
request for honesty to ensure the anonymity of participants and enhance the validity
of their information. Data from the interviews were manually analysed by the
researcher (cf. Flick, 1998) and classified into relevant ideas, themes, categories or
patterns based on qualitative approaches. After that, the data were carefully
translated and analysed. It may be useful to note that the data and translations were
also checked and validated by four colleagues.
Results
From the interviews, it was found that the majority of teachers (15/22) were
dissatisfied with the time allocated for the lesson in akhlaq since they felt that it was
insufficient. It was difficult for them to explain the wide scope of the content of the
akhlaq syllabus within a period of 3540 minutes. Although six periods per week
were allocated for Islamic Education, these six periods had to be distributed between
the various components of Islamic Education. Within the restricted time, the
teachers also had to answer questions that were raised by the students during the
lessons. Due to these time constraints, therefore, they had to teach only the most
important and essential parts of the syllabus to the students. In fact, one teacher
stated that he could only give a brief explanation regarding a concept or principle of
akhlaq within one lesson. In addition, the problem of lack of time obviously occurred
in the floating classes since the students had to move from one classroom to
another for their Islamic Education lessons. However, seven teachers from the
religious secondary schools stated that the time allocated for the teaching of akhlaq
was sufficient. From their own experience, the teachers felt that they could usually
complete the teaching within a single lesson. The adequacy of time was closely
related to the teachers capability and the students own abilities, and to the fact that
the teachers did not face major difficulties from the students that might hinder them
during the lesson.
In terms of the content of akhlaq, the majority of the teachers (16) considered that
the content was sufficient and suitable for the students. They said they could adapt
the ethical knowledge to the different levels of ability among the students. From their

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378 A. H. Tamuri
observation, most of the students could understand the principles and content of
akhlaq taught to them. They also believed that the content of akhlaq in the syllabus
covered all the fundamental Islamic principles of the subject. The teachers
mentioned that they were able to relate the content of akhlaq to current issues
during the lessons. However, five of the teachers who were interviewed felt that the
content of akhlaq in the existing Islamic Education syllabus was insufficient because
there were some students who did not achieve a proper level of understanding. The
two remaining teachers said that they could only give brief or very general
explanations to the students regarding the content of akhlaq. This problem was also
closely related to the lack of time for the lesson. Moreover, they felt they did not have
adequate teaching opportunities and only the important parts of the content were
given priority and explained by teachers.
One teacher also felt dissatisfied because the scope of the content of akhlaq in the
syllabus was very broad and he was unable to explain the content in detail within the
allocated time. In addition, there was a teacher from a religious secondary school
who was dissatisfied because he felt that the content of akhlaq was insufficient to
overcome the youngsters own problems. Moreover, as a result of some students
inability to read the Jawi script, they might not have sufficient understanding of the
principles of akhlaq that were explained in the textbooks. In fact, only four teachers
were satisfied that the existing textbooks were suitable for all the students. The
majority (18) were dissatisfied with the existing Islamic Education textbooks. They
claimed that the explanations of the principles of akhlaq in the textbooks were
inadequate and too general. The students needed to read other books or materials to
gain further information since the textbooks could only provide basic information
regarding the principles of akhlaq. Some students were unable to identify the
important points from articles in the textbooks since they were not set out
systematically and did not provide clear guidelines for the students. The teachers
discovered that some students felt de-motivated when reading and referring to the
Islamic Education textbooks.
The majority of teachers (17) also felt dissatisfied with the teaching methods used
in the akhlaq lessons. They felt they could not use appropriate teaching methods
because of the lack of time, their own lack of training and differences in terms of
school conditions, students abilities and the local environment. They had to make
minor modifications in approaches to the lessons, which relied on their own
knowledge and creativity. The teachers also admitted that the most common method
used for the akhlaq lessons was the lecture method, although they realised that this
method was suitable only for a general explanation of a principle of akhlaq and was
not appropriate for a detailed clarification. However, five teachers, all from religious
secondary schools, were satisfied with their teaching methods and thought they were
suitable for the akhlaq lessons.
Regarding teaching aids, only six teachers were satisfied with the OHPs, charts,
posters and printed materials available in their schools. Even so, they also stated that
sometimes they faced problems such as time constraints and insufficient
opportunities to use the teaching aids frequently. The majority (16 teachers) were

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Views on teaching of moral values in Malaysia 379

not satisfied with the teaching aids provided by their schools for the akhlaq lessons.
They blamed the school and educational authorities for not equipping their schools
with sufficient teaching aids. In fact, some of the teachers had difficulties in finding
appropriate and relevant teaching aids and had to use their own money to buy the
materials. However, due to their lack of expertise and financial resources, they faced
many problems in developing teaching aids and were not able to produce these
consistently. In terms of training, all the religious teachers said that they had
attended several in-service courses about the teaching and learning of Islamic
Education but none had attended any dealing specifically with the teaching of
akhlaq. There were only general discussions or brief explanations regarding the
teaching of akhlaq in the courses that they had attended. Some of the teachers also
claimed that there were no courses that focused on the teaching of akhlaq conducted
either by the Ministry of Education or by the state educational departments.
Most students showed positive responses during the akhlaq lessons in school. It
was evident that all the teachers believed that their students were able to follow and
understand the teaching of akhlaq that was provided for them. Additionally, the
teachers expressed the view that they did not face major difficulties since most of the
students showed an interest in the lesson and were co-operative. Effective teaching
methods and good relationships with students were the main factors that
significantly contributed to these positive responses. Students were said to be more
interested in the lesson if the teachers were able to relate the contents of the lesson to
contemporary issues. Teachers claimed that the students who came from the best
classes in their school or had higher academic achievement levels and had received
initial religious education in their family, mosque or elsewhere commonly showed
more positive responses during the lesson, while the weaker students usually gave
less positive responses. However, there were a few students, specifically the problem
students, who showed negative responses during the lesson. The teachers felt
dissatisfied with these students because they did not pay attention when they were
being taught. Teachers found that a few were not seriously concerned about learning
akhlaq at school since they thought that the Islamic principles of akhlaq were simple
and very easy to understand. As a result, they were not co-operative with their
teachers and they concentrated less during the akhlaq lessons. Teachers also
admitted that certain commonly used teaching methods, such as reading texts and
lectures, failed to attract the interest of all students.
In general, the majority of teachers (14) believed that the teaching of akhlaq could
have a positive effect on the moral development of students at their schools by
raising their Islamic consciousness. They also believed that the lessons significantly
prevented or at least lessened behaviour problems among the students at their
schools. Moreover, all teachers from the religious and technical schools stated that
the teaching of akhlaq had significant effects on the students moral behaviour. Since
most of the students in these schools were living in the school hostels, the teachers
had a lot of time with their students and many useful activities related to akhlaq
could be conducted with the students. However, there were eight teachers who felt
the teaching of akhaq at school was not very effective in terms of the students

380 A. H. Tamuri
personal moral development. Some of their reasons were related to time constraints,
the exam-oriented system, teachers negative attitudes and the negative environment.
The teachers were also asked to identify factors that influenced the akhlaq of
students. They identified two main kinds of influence: the school and external
factors.

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School factors
The majority of teachers (18) stated that their schools existing religious activities,
such as religious talks, additional religious classes, celebrations of Islamic holy days,
jamaah prayers and ibadah camps, had a positive influence on the development of
students akhlaq. The teachers believed that the religious activities in their schools
significantly supported the teaching of akhlaq in the classroom. In fact, based on
their observations, teachers claimed that certain religious activities, such as religious
talks, usrah (circle discussion) and other discussions, could enhance the akhlaq of
students effectively. Only four teachers, all of them from national secondary schools,
said that the religious activities had little effect on the akhlaq of students. Teachers,
especially those who were teaching in national secondary schools, complained that
they were unable to organise adequate religious activities for their students because
they did not have sufficient time and suitable rooms. Since most national secondary
schools have two sessions (morning and evening), few rooms were available for
teachers to conduct any co-curricular or religious activity after their classes.
In terms of co-curricular activities, there were eight teachers who stated that these
did not create any problems for the students akhlaq. Nine teachers from the national
secondary schools felt that generally extra-curricular activities contributed positively
to the development of students akhlaq, though they also stated that there were a few
problems during the implementation of these activities. Basically, success in
implementing any extra-curricular activity would depend largely on the organisers
and their advisers. The teachers observed that some of the co-curricular activities
went against Islamic teaching. Many of the students were more attracted to school
activities that had entertainment slots such as dancing and singing. Five of the
teachers claimed that the co-curricular activities at their schools made only limited
positive contributions to the development of akhlaq among the students. Some of
these activities created problems and dilemmas for students if certain aspects of the
implementation of the activities were unsuitable for the students or contradicted
Islamic teaching.
All of the teachers agreed that the existing school regulations and discipline made
a positive contribution to the development of students akhlaq. They felt that schools
should take necessary precautions to eliminate or at least reduce the influence of
negative elements from outside. Teachers were generally satisfied with the cooperation and support given by colleagues in their schools. In other words, they did
not have any problems or face any major obstacles from their colleagues in terms of
the development of students akhlaq. However, four of the teachers revealed that

Views on teaching of moral values in Malaysia 381

they were disappointed with the attitudes of a few teachers of other subjects who did
not give full co-operation to developing the students akhlaq. For example, there
were a few teachers who claimed they did not have any responsibility for that,
because they believed that the development of students akhlaq was the duty of
religious and discipline teachers alone. There were a few teachers who did not want
to assist voluntarily in organising the schools religious activities, and only did so if
they were officially instructed by the school principal.
External factors

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There were at least six external elements, which were identified as follows:

N
N

Sixteen of the teachers who were interviewed said that the students peers,
especially school leavers or working youngsters, had a significant influence on
students daily activities and personalities, as well as on their akhlaq.
Twelve teachers stated that improper actions, behaviour, dress style, attitudes and
pictures which frequently appeared in television programmes, internet websites,
and magazines had damaging effects on the akhlaq of students. Certain
programme content (particularly designed as entertainment and celebrity
programmes) was considered inappropriate for students.
Ten teachers observed that some problem families had a lack of religious
consciousness and did not care seriously for their own children. They did not set a
good example to their children. Teachers also noted that there were a few parents
who were inclined to protect and defend their children blindly even when they
had been found guilty of disciplinary offences.
Six teachers found that some students preferred to do paid work rather than to
attend school. They were more interested in earning a small salary for their own
pocket money. This occurred particularly in industrial and tourist areas, but this
problem also existed in the estates of the Federal Land Development Authority, a
government agency responsible for the development of agriculture in rural areas;
some students could collect dropped palm seeds and then sell them to get their
pocket money.
Entertainment arcades or recreation areas, such as cinemas, laser disc centres,
shopping complexes, snooker and video games premises and parks, were also seen
by four teachers as significant threats to the akhlaq of students. These teachers
also claimed that the entertainment centres encouraged truancy.
Finally, the uncaring attitudes among some members of the local community
were seen as another element that could have a negative effect on the akhlaq of
students.

Discussion
From the teachers point of view, most of their students showed an interest in the
akhlaq lessons, and those who did not were mainly influenced by the kind of teaching
methods used, such as lectures. Generally, teachers admitted that they were unable

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382 A. H. Tamuri
to use many of the teaching methods or activities suggested in the curriculum and
often resorted to lectures. This is consistent with the recent study by Tamuri et al.
(2004) who also found that the lecture method was the most frequently chosen for
teaching akhlaq. This was probably due to the lack of time for the lesson, the lack of
training, the unsatisfactory conditions in some schools and classrooms and the
ability levels of the students. The students were also dissatisfied with the teaching
aids used for akhlaq lessons. The study found that the environment and programmes
organised in the school hostels could assist teachers achieve their objectives.
Surprisingly, the study found that none of the teachers, even the senior religious
teachers, had ever attended in-service courses that specifically dealt with the
teaching of akhlaq. In fact, a previous study found that there was a lack of training for
the teaching of akhlaq among religious teachers, even in the national religious
secondary schools (Bahagian Pendidikan Islam, 1993).
Most of the teachers also believed that the principles of akhlaq that were outlined
could guide the students to be good Muslims so long as they could fully observe the
principles which had been learned. The syllabus for the teaching of akhlaq covers all
the fundamental aspects of akhlaq in Islam, as shown by al-Qardawi (1981) and
Hatem (1987). However, this kind of learning is a collective responsibility between
school and parent, and there needs to be consistency between the religious education
provided by school and the informal education obtained by the students at home.
Halstead and Cheema (1987, p. 27) have argued that it will be harmful especially to
young children if the education they receive at home is in conflict with what they
receive in school.
The study also showed that the co-curricular activities potentially give a positive
contribution to the students akhlaq. However, due to the lack of consultation with
religious teachers, they observed that there are some activities in the national and
technical secondary schools that are not in line with Islamic principles. The findings
of the present study support the arguments of Stapa (1994), Abu Bakar (1997) and
Tamuri & Abdul Ghani (2004) who have claimed that in the context of Malaysia
there are certain types of sports that do not significantly contribute to the
development of akhlaq since the clothing they require uncovers the aurah of the
sportsmen and women. Conversely, in the religious secondary schools teachers are
able to ensure that all the co-curricular activities are in harmony with Islamic
teaching. This is probably due to the existence of iklim dini (the religious
environment) that directly or indirectly encourages the realisation of Islamic
teachings in the religious secondary schools activities.
The study also identified six major factors that might have a significant negative
impact on the akhlaq of students. The first factor is students peers. Previous studies
(Bradley & Dubinsky, 1994; Bee, 1995; Seifert & Hoffnung, 1996; McCormick &
Pressley, 1997; Mohd Noor, 1998) have demonstrated the significant effects of peers
on young people. Although not denying that the effects of peers on the students
daily lives may be positive, the present study found that the majority of teachers
interviewed stated that the students peers and friends, including school leavers and
working youngsters, could negatively influence the akhlaq of students. It seems that

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Views on teaching of moral values in Malaysia 383

this finding is consistent with Baron (1989) and Bee (1995) who have argued that
the maximum impact of the peer group on young people is during the period of
adolescence, particularly the ages of 14 to 16 years. Generally, students peers did
not play significant positive roles in advising them.
The study revealed that certain parts of the mass media in Malaysia had negative
effects on the students akhlaq, notably those involving entertainment, music and
celebrities. This is consistent with the evidence found in many studies, such as those
by Larking (1997), Francis (1997), Seifert & Hoffnung (1996) and Tamuri et al.
(2005), who found that the mass media, especially television, have significant effects
on the development of children. We may also assume that the presence of un-Islamic
programmes and content in the mass media, even in Muslim countries, may be due
to the absence of an Islamic code of media ethics (cf. Mughees-uddin, 1997).
Family was another factor that made a significant contribution to the development
of students akhlaq. Baron (1989, p. 262) has argued that there does not seem to be
a large gap in attitudes or beliefs between teenagers and their parents. The findings
revealed that the majority of teachers stated that most parents play a significant role
in the development of students akhlaq. These findings also support the views of
Ghani & Abd Rahman (1995) and Tamuri et al. (2005) regarding the vital role of
parents in developing their children. In general, most of the teachers were satisfied
with parents cooperation in the development of students akhlaq, though there were
a few parents who failed to play their roles in educating and setting good examples
for their children.
Another factor was the role of the community. From the Islamic point of view (cf.
Rahman, 1994), all members of the Islamic community have significant roles in the
process of socialising the young. The study, however, found that there are some
members of the Muslim community who ignore their responsibilities in the
development of students akhlaq. Basically, the absence of caring attitudes among
some members of the community will have negative effects on the development of
students akhlaq since the students will feel that they are no longer being watched
over by other people. The study revealed that job opportunities were seen by some
teachers as another negative factor that significantly affected the students akhlaq,
especially in industrial or tourist areas. Due to financial difficulties, there were some
exceptional cases where the students had to work to support their families. Teachers
generally observed that most of these students in work were tired when they came to
school and lost interest in education. These problems might be caused by excessive
working hours. Based on several researches, Seifert and Hoffnung (1996) have
argued that students who work more than ten hours per week have a range of
academic, psychological and physical problems.
Conclusion
To sum up, the development of good individuals is clearly outlined in the National
Philosophy of Education and this provides the inspiration for the aims and objectives
of secondary education. The Integrated Curriculum for Secondary Schools

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384 A. H. Tamuri
concentrates on the internalisation of noble values and the creation of good Malaysian
citizens. At the same time, Muslim students are also taught akhlaq within the subject of
Islamic Education in an attempt to education their attitudes and character. The akhlaq
syllabus encompasses all the fundamental aspects of akhlaq in Islam, i.e. akhlaq in
relation to Allah, His Prophet, parents, teachers, society and the universe.
Despite a few weaknesses in terms of implementation, most of the teachers in the
study claimed that school activities, religious activities and school regulations
contributed positively to the development of students akhlaq. However, there were
several major difficulties faced by teachers in the implementing of akhlaq lessons,
especially the lack of time, poor textbooks, the use of Jawi, unsuitable teaching
methods, inadequate teaching aids and lack of training. The study also found that
religious activities, co-curricular activities, school regulations, teachers positive
attitudes and behaviour and a positive school environment were the major factors that
had a positive influence on the students akhlaq. There were also several factors that
had a negative effect on the akhlaq of students, particularly the unsound influence of
peers, whether from the inside or outside the school; negative attitudes among some
teachers; inappropriate content in the mass media; negative attitudes among the
students parents and their local communities; the unhealthy influence of entertainment centres; and the distractions resulting from excessive amounts of part-time work.
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