What Thaqif Tried to Tell Us
A Cry for Help
Mohamad Thaqif Amin Mohd Gaddafi, the 11-year-old boy whose suffering ended today with his death, went to a school for the memorisation of Quran, or tahfiz. He may not have completed the course, or committed the whole of the Quran to memory, which is the main goal in the syllabus of a tahfiz school. But his cry for help, as he wrote in his notebook, and the days of pain that he, his mother, and his family went through, will be etched in the memory of every Malaysian for a very long time.
What Went Wrong?
The question is, and this is true for so many other tragedies that have gripped the collective conscience of Malaysians: for how long? What happened to Thaqif is not the first, nor will it be the last if the authorities do not treat his death as a cry for help from behind the walls of boarding schools in the country.
A Culture of Abusive Discipline
It is ironic, and certainly not comforting, to know that most of these boarding schools place emphasis on religious values and rituals. Some parents think that placing their children in these schools is a solution to their own failures, or shortcomings, to inculcate religious values in their children. There is no denying they have good intentions, but there is no shortcut to this.
A Lack of Oversight
Yesterday, when Thaqif was fighting for his life, staring at the bleak future that awaited him, Prime Minister Najib Razak was singing praises of the tahfiz school system, dishing out RM30 million specifically for the same kind of schools that he had attended. The timing of this historic handout is worrying, but it will be welcomed if the money is well spent for the reform of the boarding and religious schools. RM30 million may be able to build better hostels, better canteens, and better classrooms. But whether or not it can remove the thick cloak of discipline and religiosity that have made this part of the country’s education system almost invisible remains to be seen.
A Call to Action
We can continue producing thousands of people who commit the Quran to memory, but not at the cost of the many Thaqifs who want the grown-ups to adhere to the Quranic reminder: God does not change a people’s lot unless they change what is in their hearts (13:11). Thaqif invoked God’s name to bring him out of a school that is committed to God’s Book. He paid with his life. His death must not be in vain.
Conclusion
Thaqif’s story is a tragic reminder of the need for change in our education system. It is our hope that his sacrifice will not be in vain, and that it will serve as a catalyst for reforms that will ensure that no child has to suffer the same fate as Thaqif.
FAQs
* Who was Thaqif Amin Mohd Gaddafi?
+ Thaqif Amin Mohd Gaddafi was an 11-year-old boy who attended a tahfiz school and died recently.
* What was Thaqif’s story?
+ Thaqif’s story is one of abuse and suffering at the hands of his school, where he was subjected to physical and emotional trauma.
* What is a tahfiz school?
+ A tahfiz school is a school that focuses on the memorization of the Quran, or the teaching of Islamic values and rituals.
* What is the government’s response to Thaqif’s death?
+ The government has announced a RM30 million allocation for the reform of boarding and religious schools, but critics argue that more needs to be done to address the systemic issues that led to Thaqif’s death.