Tadris: Jurnal Keguruan dan Ilmu Tarbiyah 4 (1): 127-134 (2019) DOI: 10.24042/tadris.v4i1.3753

Islamic Education in Pattani Muslim Minority: What are the Institutional Continuity and Change?

Ismail Suardi Wekke12*, Siddin1, Sukree Langputeh3 1Postgraduate Program, Sekolah Tinggi Agama Negeri (STAIN) Sorong, Indonesia 2Academy of Islamic Studies and Arabic Language, University College of Yayasan , 3Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Fatoni University, Thailand

______Abstract: National aspiration in different ways effects to the Article History: community response through their condition. This situation reflects th Received: February 19 , 2019 the dynamics of interest in diverse direction. Therefore, this article Revised: May 17th, 2019 will identify the development of Muslim minority in Pattani, Accepted: June 15th, 2019 Published: June 28th, 2019 Thailand. A qualitative approach was applied to conducting research. In-depth interview and non-participant observation was an instrument to collect data. Data triangulation was conducted through twice focus ______group discussions in a different university. This article discusses the Keywords: portrait of Islamic education in Pattani of Thailand. They face Institutions, dynamic and struggle to maintain a combination of national interest Islamic Education, and local need. National aspiration is the main source to formulate Muslim Minority the institutional design. On the other hand, they embedded local

aspiration through ethnic and religious values to combine in national

______education. In keeping with the identities and personal *Correspondence Address: communication, they tried to root the religious value and belief to [email protected] educational form. Finally, this article amplifies the local condition in Pattani Muslim society. The development of Islamic education runs to the situation in extending ethnic, religious expression, and politic.

INTRODUCTION acquire some aspects of knowledge Education is a necessity of every according to Islamic parameters through country and is a necessity to modernize the use of a well-designed curriculum people's lives (Putro, 2017; Widiatmaka, (Bafadhol, 2016; Djaelani, 2013). Islamic 2016; Yuristia, 2017). Education is also education is a totality that can lead an important investment and has a students to grow and develop as Islamic strategic role for the realization of human people in the family, community, nation, resources to shape the mindset of citizens and state. so they can develop themselves and build Education of a nation grows and something new in the future (Widiatmaka, develops in line with the nation's history. 2016). In subsequent developments, Islamic Islamic religious education is a educational institutions such as madrasah conscious and planned effort in preparing and integrated Islamic schools start to students to recognize, understand, and emerge. This is in response to the pattern live up to the teachings of Islam (Rahman, of education needed by the community. 2012). Education in the perspective of While in Southeast Asia, each country Islam is a long process which functions formed a pattern of Islamic education are for teaching and helping students to

© 2019 URPI Faculty of Education and Teacher Training Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Intan Lampung Islamic Education in Thailand Pattani … | I. S. Wekke, Siddin, S. Langputeh suitable to the aspirations of their dynamics of Islamic education in Pattani respective communities. from its historical roots to its development Likewise, the Islamic education in the contemporary era. system in Pattani, Thailand, which is a country with a predominantly Buddhist METHOD majority, is updating the Islamic This study applied the qualitative education system. The process of Islamic approach. Researchers systematically renewal in Pattani has a very long history. describe the facts and characteristics The position of as a minority regarding the portrait of the education of religion leaves various turmoil and Thai Muslim communities. The validity problems in the Islamic world. Muslim of the data was determined using Pattani who inhabits is triangulation of sources. The sampling predominantly consisting of Malay ethnic technique used in this study was the that has strong cultural roots. Since Islam purposive sampling by determining the entered Pattani, Islamic religious sample based on certain considerations. education began to be developed in The consideration was based on the mosques and traditional boarding houses. research subject related to the research Thus, Pattani Malay Muslims have strong problem. The data was obtained through cultural and religious roots. in-depth interviews and observations. For There is a transformation of Islamic triangulation of data, the observation was education driven by the community carried out twice, and interviews were (Wekke, Ashrori, & Hamuddin, 2018). conducted with different informants. Madrasah does not merely teach religious There was also a directed discussion to subjects but also teaches exact sciences. verify the data of both research subjects Three typical educational institutions take and data collection techniques. place today (Medrano, 2007). Thai Islamic education not only maintains RESULT AND DISCUSSION traditions that have lasted for so long, but Minority and Ethnicity of Pattani it also demands a transformation to be Muslim developed following community needs Thailand is one of the countries (Joseph Chinyong Liow, 2010). Managing located in Southeast Asia and is a member Islamic education does not mean that of the ASEAN (Association of South East secular (non-Islamic) education is Asia Nations). The government is a ignored. Precisely, with the existence of kingdom consisting of 76 provinces with Islamic education, it will be an additional a population of 57 million. The majority opportunity for the Thai Muslim of Thailand's population is Buddhist and community to participate in studies on a has dominated the country for 700 years. broader scale (Madmam, 2003). As the majority religion, has When the Thai government took the support of the State so that the culture control of the Pattani region after the of Buddhism develops rapidly in Anglo-Siam Agreement in 1909, the Thailand. government began implementing various Meanwhile, Thailand Muslim lives policies. Economic, social, educational, in the southern part of Thailand. The cultural, and religious policies caused Muslim population in southern Thailand turmoil between the Pattani Muslim is around 4 percent of the total population community and the Thai government. The of Thailand. The largest numbers of government’s policy to reform Islamic Muslims are Malay and live in Thailand's education in Pattani is an effort to three southernmost provinces; Pattani, integrate Pattani Muslims as a minority Yala, and Narathiwat. Besides these three part of Thailand. This article identifies the provinces, the Muslim community is also

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spread in several provinces such as Satun, and Muslim in Southern Thailand were Songkhla, Trang, Krabi, and Phuket. The filled with protracted mistrust, suspicion, Muslim population in southern Thailand and misunderstanding. Chronic upheaval is around 76 percent is in Pattani, Yala, between minority Muslims and the Thai and Narathiwat (Croissant, 2007). government as a result of the combination In the 13th-century, Islam arrived in of fragmented, weak, and insecure Islamic Pattani and became the majority religion institutions and a disillusioned divided the in the region (Wayeekao, 2016). In the Muslim community. As a result, beginning, Pattani was a kingdom located resistance emerged, and the central in the south of Thailand with the Malay as government responded to it as the act of a majority population. But in subsequent separatism until the martial law was developments, the was imposed in the region (Joll, 2010). later ruled by the Siamese kingdom. The Apart from the ethnoreligious Pattani Malay Kingdom was then divided conflict, Muslims in Southern Thailand, into 4 provinces, namely Pattani, Yala, in the contemporary period, have Narathiwat, and Satun. Siam's control experienced significant improvements in over the Pattani region came into force various fields, although it remains under after the Malay northern region was pressure and discrimination from the Thai surrendered by the British colonial government. Thai Muslims are neither a government to the Siamese kingdom in new community nor a marginalized 1909. The surrender of the Pattani Malay community. Therefore Muslims in kingdom to the Siamese kingdom was Thailand today is an inseparable part of marked by the Anglo-Siam Agreement Thai society as a whole and remain a which brought the Pattani Malay kingdom minority in various social and political under the control of the Siamese kingdom fields (Jory, 2006). (Joll, 2010). The Anglo-Siam Agreement, which Institution of Pattani Islamic Education recognized Siam's control over the Pattani Islamic education in Pattani began Malay kingdom brought a policy that since Islam came and settled in Pattani in revoked the rights and dignity of Pattani the 15th-century. Basic education began in Muslims. When the ultranationalist the Islamic community by studying the regime of Prime Minister Philbul Quran. The Quran must be studied by Songkhram came to power in 1938, he every member of the community. adopted a policy of forcibly assimilating Furthermore, the boarding school was various minority cultures to be developed. built and became the most important Philbul immediately launched a campaign educational institution in Pattani (Susanto, to wipe out Malay cultural identity for the 2015). In further developments, Pattani sake of nationalism. This campaign later became the center of Islamic attacks Malay Muslim identity on all religious education in Southern Thailand fronts, including education, language, and the Malay Peninsula at the time clothing, and religious practice (Croissant, (Interview of Religious Education 2007). Teachers, 1/12/2018). The policies of the Thailand The education system of Islamic government, which set the rules and boarding schools, such as those found in assimilation process to the Pattani Muslim Java, is also known by community gave rise to the spirit of (Kesuma, 2017; Lamato, Sumarno, & nationalism to break away from the Umamah, 2017). The person who first restraints of the Thai government. introduced the education system was a Relations between the Thai government student from Sunan Ampel in Java, Wan

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Husein. He was an influential Islamic the Thai government. They assume that figure in the development of Islam in there is a need to guide the national Pattani. With the introduction of the system with local traditions. Thai boarding school system, Islamic teaching government policy that requires the use of is no longer exclusively belong to the elite the Thai language in the learning process palace's royal people, but also belongs to makes the Pattani Muslim community the common people and commoners. send their children to boarding school The Pattani Muslim Malay education institutions rather than community chose the boarding school educational institutions provided by the education system as a place of learning government. For the Pattani Muslim rather than attending formal education in community, the Thai government's policy government schools. During the reign of towards the national education system King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910) where was an attempt to erase the Malay Muslim the first formal education was identity in Pattani. implemented, the Pattani Malay Muslim The efforts of the Thai government community did not welcome the policy. to implement a national education system In 1921, the government then passed a were not responded well by the Pattani law requiring study at the elementary Muslim community. It made the school up to fourth grade. Siamese was government's efforts to integrate the used as the instructional language in the Pattani Muslim community as part of the learning process at school. The Pattani minority Thai people experiencing Muslim community considered this obstacles (interview of Islamic school regulation to be a Siamese effort to erase teachers, Thailand 1/10/2018). Starting their culture so that the Pattani people with this, the Thai government adopted a were reluctant to send their children to policy towards reforming the Islamic government schools. education system in Pattani. In 1958, the It is known that a nation's education government attempted to eliminate the grows and develops in line with the traditional boarding school education nation's history. It also experienced by system by transforming into a modern Pattani Muslims. The various turmoil and boarding school or Islamic Private problems require Pattani Muslims to find Education School (Interview with Fatoni the best way and act to address the University lecturer, Thailand, 2/7/2018). development of the situation at that time. As a realization of the government's The renewal of Islamic education in efforts to transform traditional boarding Pattani was inseparable from the role of a school education institutions into modern charismatic figure named Haji Sulong. boarding school or Islamic Private This scholar and politician previously Schools, then in 1960, all boarding lived in the city of Mecca. In 1927, he schools were registered. In 1961, the returned to Pattani and founded the Al- government began to intervene in the Maarif Al-Wathaniah Fathoni Modern boarding school education system. Madrasah. This madrasah was the first Government policy to include semi- school in Pattani that applied the graded secular education in the boarding school, learning, classroom system, and marching change the use of Malay into Thai as the exercises. In further developments, the instructional language, and translate school was later closed by the Thai books into Thai is part of the government because it was suspected to government's interference in the boarding be the basis of Pattani Muslim to rebel school education system. This effort was against the Thai government. carried out to improve the quality of The Pattani Muslim community boarding school education (Principal of rejects the education system adopted by Private Islamic Schools, interview

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3/9/2018). Along with quality assurance, established in Pattani, a pesantren there is also a transformation of boarding boarding school. The learning system in school traditions. traditional boarding school used the talaqi Thus, the government was trying to system (learning religious knowledge reform the boarding school education directly from the teacher). But in further system from a traditional boarding school development, the Thai government, to a modern boarding school or Islamic through its policy, transformed the private school. In 1966 and onwards, Islamic boarding school into Islamic traditional boarding schools followed the Private Schools or modern boarding educational system renewal in Thailand schools. Thai government policy to although some others still maintained the reform the Islamic education system traditional boarding school system impacts the change in the curriculum of (Principal of Private Islamic Schools, the boarding school, which is the interview 2/12/2018). Until now, there are hallmark of Islamic education. two features of Islamic educational Islamic Private Schools or modern institutions, namely: traditional and boarding school become formal Islamic modern educational institutions (Private education institutions in Pattani are still Schools of Islamic Education). ongoing today. The education system The Thai government's policy takes place classically and receives towards the Pattani Muslim community regular government assistance. The through education is an effort to integrate curriculum used is an integrated the Pattani Muslim community as part of curriculum between religious and general a minority in Thailand. Government education. Integration between religious efforts to instill national awareness for the and general fields in the curriculum lies in Pattani people are carried out through the the balance of religious and general Siamization, National Integration, and subjects. In the technical aspect, Socio-cultural Assimilation programs. To realization in schools is carried out realize this goal, the steps taken by the separately between religious and general Thai government are through education education. For example, the religious policies towards Islamic education in learning process is carried out in the Pattani. morning, while general lessons are held in the afternoon. Thailand National Education Policy Thailand government policy to and the Future of Islamic Education reform the Islamic education system is The implementation of Islamic only to channel political desires so that education in Pattani was transformed Malay Muslim students learn religious from Mosques, traditional boarding and general education by integrating the school, madrasah (schools), to modern understanding of nationalism and culture boarding school (Islamic Private of Buddhism so that national and state Schools). At the beginning of Islam in awareness arises (Teacher Interview, Pattani, the mosques were used as 12/10/2018). The government's policy religious education institutions. The through education is to integrate the learning conducted at the mosque focused Pattani Malay Muslim community as a on teaching the Quran, studying the Jawi Muslim minority part of Thailand. Thus, books, learning the Berzanji, learning to the Pattani Malay Muslim extremism that become the Imam of prayers, and praying triggers the disintegration of the nation in congregation. can be eliminated. In subsequent developments, a The acts of the Thai Muslim traditional boarding school was community are perceived as an attempt to

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Islamic Education in Thailand Pattani … | I. S. Wekke, Siddin, S. Langputeh promote separatism. This built-up stigma interests and environmental aspirations (Jelonek, 2012) that makes Thai people related to ethnic and religious needs. not free to express their opinions. They are even labeled as terrorists (Croissant & CONCLUSION Barlow, 2007). Muslim communities, on The Islamic education system in several occasions get the same stigma as Pattani metamorphoses from mosques, in Xinjiang (Warikoo, 2000). It is caused traditional boarding school, madrasah by an information gap between one (schools), to modern boarding school or another. The existence of a gap between Islamic Private Schools. This process is government administration and the inseparable from the intervention of the community will cause information gaps to Thai government on the Islamic education occur (Ikelegbe, 2005). system. The boarding school education The process of Islamic education, system as the hallmark of Islamic introduced by Haji Sulong and Ismail education for the Pattani Muslim Lutfi (Joseph Chinyong Liow, 2010) community is not only a place to gain became a separate model. There is religious knowledge but also as a place to integration between the national system affirm Malay Muslim identity. and environmental aspirations (Aree, Islamic educational institutions that 2016). Although there is a perception that still exist today are Islamic Private the Pattani people are seen as fighting for Schools or modern boarding school. ethnicity (Harish, 2006), it's just that they Modern boarding schools are the result of are trying to provide a place for local government policies to transform the needs for formal education. The efforts traditional boarding school, which at the are made to integrate local aspirations beginning of the learning process with national education. Education emphasize subjects that are religious and management is related to personal ability oriented to the aspect of ukhrawi to manage the course of the educational (afterlife). After the renewal of education process and also institutional management from traditional boarding school to a (Wekke, Siami, & Nuryantika, 2016). modern boarding school, the education There is an education modernization system takes place classically. that began twenty years ago (Provencher, The government's policy to reform 1989). Although in the development of Islamic education in Pattani has an impact modernization, there are aspects of on the application of the education development that become its constraints curriculum. The use of an integrated (Scupin, 1989). Likewise, amid curriculum between religious education development efforts, there are challenges and general education has made the of violence and negative views (Porath, identity of the boarding school as a purely 2014). The development of Islamic religious Islamic educational institution education becomes a means to negotiate fading. The government's policy to reform between identities (J.C Liow, 2005). Even the Islamic education system is only part from the beginning, there have been of political efforts without regard to the developments that were preceded by quality to be achieved. Government mutual suspicion as well as challenges policy through education is an effort to (Yusuf, 1999). Global Islamic education integrate the Pattani Malay Muslim is a blend of tradition and modernization community as part of Thailand. (Wekke, 2015). This article shows that Thailand's Pattani Islamic education is REFERENCES undergoing both institutional and Aree, S. (2016). Integrated Islamic management transformation. Likewise, Education in Southern Thailand and there is integration between national Northern Malaysia: Reforms and

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