Of Thailand’s population of 65-67 million, about 95-96% are Buddhist. Of the remaining, there is a strong Muslim minority, specifically in the southern part of Thailand near the Malaysian border. Religion seems to be something that people in Thailand are more comfortable talking about in public than Americans, and an individual’s religion is indicated on National Identity Cards. One could assume that, since the country has such a strong Buddhist majority that other religions might not feel comfortable worshiping, but I have not found that to be the case. Thais seem very comfortable with the diversity of religions existing in their country. During our visit to Nakorn Si Thammarat, in the southern part of Thailand, we had the chance to visit Prateepsasasna Islamic School. The school, often referred to as The Ma’had Misbahuddin (The Torch of Islam), was established in 1941. The school came into existence after a small group of Thai students returned from Mecca and wanted a place to continue their religious studies. The school, which started with 50 students, now has a 500 student elementary day school and 1200 high school boarding students.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted warmly by a student assembly that including singing, dancing, and a cooking demonstration. Then, Fulbrighters and students broke into three groups, each with an interpreter, for a great question and answer session. I unsuccessfully tried to explain the coldness associated with a Chicago winter to students who’ve lived their entire lives in a tropical climate that includes the seasons hot, hotter, and rain. I think there was some discussion on pee freezing before it hits the ground….but I was not the one who brought it up. When asked their first thoughts American, they shouted out the following list: Obama, wanna go there, Hollywood, good schools, and Michael Jordan. The kids at the school reminded me a lot of my students at North Shore. It felt very normal to be at a school, since it is where I spend my time in the United States, and it was great learning from the kids about their future dreams and how they spend their time at the school.
After our sharing time, we had a chance to go on a walking tour of the campus, which included the library, business center (computers), classrooms, art center, sports area, canteen (cafeteria), and dormitories.
The school’s director, Hajjah Sofiyah binti Hajji Ya’koob Pitsuwan, an 83 year old woman referred to as “Mama” by students, was not able to meet with us today because the elementary school was being assessed by the countries accreditation committee and the U.S. Ambassador was visiting the high school the next day (this is big considering we were the first Americans to visit in the school’s recent history). However, her grandson was able to spend the day with us. He finished his undergraduate education at Georgetown and will be attending Harvard for a Masters in public policy this fall. I spoke to him about the biggest struggles facing the school and he indicated two-funding and the balance between religious and secular subjects.
Some of the school’s physical structures are new, beautiful and modern buildings. Most of these buildings were building with money coming from external sources. Specifically, the school has seen a lot of funding from the Muslim communities in other parts of the world. People from Kuwait, Qatar, and UAE have all helped support the school’s new library, mosque, and girls dormitories. These facilities look excellent. It is shocking, however, because other buildings on the campus are literately falling apart. In particular, while the girls now sleep in two brand new dormitory buildings, the boys continue to sleep in the pondoks. These are a large collection of small, elevated shack-like building surrounding the main house. Many of these are close to falling down and all have been given make-shift repairs over the last 70 years. The boys sleep on the floor, either two or four to a pondok. When asked if they are jealous of the girls’ new dorms, the boys clearly stated they like the pondoks better. I can imagine most teenage boys would, as many skinny paths and dark corners between buildings allow for many varieties of debauchery. These are facilities, however, that the parents at North Shore would not allow their children to sleep in for even one night. A donor has provided the funding for new dorms, which we saw being constructed. When completed, the female students will move into the new dorms and the boys will move into the girls current dorms. I am not sure how the girls worked that out, but it sounds like a pretty good deal! It was also interesting along the walk, as they both told me a fellow Fulbrighter was handsome and then introduced me to the most handsome teacher they had at their school…which amounted to an awkward wave surrounded by 30 giggling high schoolers.
It was very interesting talking to the students about a typical day at the school. It because clear students spend a significant portion of the day either praying or in religious studies class. The director’s grandson indicated this as their biggest struggle when it comes to completing with students from other schools. Currently, 60-70% of the school’s students go to college following high school. However, they would like to see that number increase, as well as the number of students going to more prestigious universities. However, only half of the classroom time is currently spent on secular subjects and the students have a difficult time competing, specifically in the areas of math and science. The school would like to see more time devoted to these subjects, but there is resistance from some of the parents.
Overall, the time we spent at the school was educational and enjoyable. The kids and faculty alike were warm and welcoming, including providing use with a wonderful meal. Going to the school gave me yet another perspective on Islam, and it is something I will definitely talk to my students about in the coming years.
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