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The best of both the east and the west at Idrissi International School

Published by SchoolAdvisor | Jan 24, 2017

"I want my children to be educated in English but I also want them to have a strong religious foundation". Sounds familiar? This is the dilemma faced by many Muslim parents in Malaysia. Luckily for you, International Islamic schools offer just that. A world-class education with a strong grasp of religious values. In this feature, we take a look at Idrissi International School, the world's 1st eco-islamic school!

  

Idrissi's story...

Idrissi International School is a school that focuses on the whole child. The school was conceived by founders, who are parents, who believe than learning should not be limited to the classroom, or that memorising is the only way to learn.

The Idrissi Islamic Curriculum is a collaboration with expert advisers in the development of the global Islamic curriculum approved by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim). There are five core areas taught to students: Faith, Quran, Biography, Worship and Morals & Manners.

The Idrissi British National Curriculum is a world-class curriculum with high quality support and integrated assessment. The core subjects in Idrissi School are English, Mathematics and Science.

Idrissi is also the first in Malaysia to introduce Physical Sciences and design complete with an engineering Laboratory. The objective is to nurture students to have a more scientific mind and foster critical thinking and problem solving.

At the “eco-Islamic” Idrissi International School, you get a Muslim who lives on Earth, aware that it all belongs to the Creator, so he’d better take care of it.

While this may not be the usual image of today’s Muslims, it should be; and this is what the English-medium school, based in Setia Alam, Shah Alam, Selangor, aims for.

  

How is Idrissi different from other Islamic International schools?

Idriss is different because it mixes academic, Islamic and environmental lessons into a cohesive education system that has one foot in this life and another in the hereafter.

As one of the school’s founders and House Director, Datin Paduka Zaliza Alias, said: “The purpose of education is to get the students ready not just for their future here (on Earth) but also to be ready for the hereafter. We do it full-heartedly; from the managers, the teachers, even the school guards.

Image via: The Star She added, "This is very important because in order for children to grow, they must be in the right environment. The environment they are in shapes them. This will reflect their relationship with people, with nature, and with God.” 

So, Idrissi students learn how to plant?

 

According to Zaliza, it's not just about teaching them to plant or learning about it. It is about teaching them to appreciate plants, to know where food comes from. Believe it or not, many children are not able to identify different types of vegetables. However, by learning to plant, they are able to do so. “Knowing where vegetables or food come from actually teaches the students that everything on Earth doesn’t just exist and that there is a Creator for everything. And He puts us here on Earth complete with tools, including the (precious) soil, for us to live and grow,” she said.

The school also sends students on nature-related school trips every alternate month. When they are not in the “wild”, students have more structured programmes, such as the compulsory “eco scouts” programme. They have certain expectations or targets to get awards and the environment-related activities include backwoods cooking, nature collection, photography, orienteering (finding your way in the outdoors), and recycling craft. There is also archery, batik printing and pottery.Practicing care for animals. Image via: The Star Hand-in-hand with the school’s green mind is its Islamic heart. Zaliza said: “You cannot separate the environment from Islam. The reason why we live here is to be a khalifah (caliph, or care-taker) of Earth, and the guidelines are spelled out in the Quran.”

Meaningful Languages

Idrissi International School Zheng He Curriculum Mandarin & Arabic

The school also offers two languages that was developed specifically for Idrissi students by its partners in Xi'an, China.Idrissi Zheng He Mandarin™, a unique concept that delivers content that alludes to Zheng He, the Chinese Muslim Admiral, and his world explorations. Students will develop an awareness of and a basic communicative competence in Mandarin while understanding core Islamic values as inspired by his travels.Idrissi Zheng He Arabic™ provides students with a basic communicative competency in the Arabic language. Following the Islamic Organisation Curriculum (ICO) and Fitrah Arabic Language programmes, students will study daily communications, ethics, morals, values and other Islamic aspects of the Deen. 

Visit Idrissi International School's website to know more about the school and what it can offer your child!

 

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