Education Priorities Upside Down: Why Are We Teaching Primary 6 Students Insurance & Takaful Subject?

The Education Ministry should introduce topics and lessons that are practical and useful to school children.

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An academician has questioned the practicality of teaching insurance and takaful (sharia compliant insurance) to Primary 6 students.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) lecturer in Educational Studies, Othman Talib, described it as an “indicator” that shows the syllabus is getting heavier.

He said the Ministry of Education (MOE) could do better than to include the titles of insurance and takaful in mathematics textbooks for Primary 6.

Speaking to FMT, Othman pointed out that even adults may not fully understand insurance and takaful.

We introduced them to takaful for what? We must not be hypocrites. What is a hypocrite? We say its for introduction only (in Year 6). Have we (adults) ever heard of insurance? Yes. Maybe a thousand times. (But) do we ourselves…understand?
UPM lecturer Othman Talib on teaching insurance and takaful to Primary 6 students.

He warned that it would also kill off a child’s interest in Mathematics.

In Pursuit Of Folly

Othman described the subject of insurance and takaful for Year 6 pupils as a waste of time and made without careful planning.

Let’s say (after Year 6), they will study again in Form 4, but from Year 6, Form 1, Form 2, Form 3, ..the thing is ‘meaningless’ (useless). They will forget.
UPM lecturer Othman Talib objecting to teaching insurance and takaful to Primary 6 students.

He added that a student at that age has no income to spend on insurance anyway.

Othman advised that it would be better off to focus on the basics of ‘3M’ – membaca, menulis dan mengira (write, read and count).

He noted that children who read do not necessarily understand what they read.

For Everything There Is A season

His sentiment is echoed by netizens. They said a 12-year-old child will not understand or appreciate such subject matter.

They said it is more suitable for Form 4 and 5 students as they are more mature in thinking.

At that age, they are also approaching adulthood with responsibilities such as looking for a job, renting a room and buying a car or motorcycle.

Allahu. Why would they do this to the future primary 6 pupils 🙁 insurans and takaful weh, aku belajar a bit about insurans and takaful time degree pun payah nak faham. Ni budak darjah 6 😭😭 https://t.co/jQyO2hME28
— minn (@yeonjjunineun) February 8, 2022

Silibus Matematik tahun 6 yang makin mengarut!! Entah apa yang KPM fikir pun tak tahu. Habis minat budak-budak nak belajar bila segala masalah orang dewasa disumbat dalam silibus mereka!#SilibusKarut pic.twitter.com/ZgUH7SXc5T
— Akhi Fairuz Al-Jengkawi (@akhifairuz_) February 8, 2022