Islamic Education in ASEAN : Status and Challenges

Abstract

Muslim in the ASEAN region are diverse and have different identities which have caused differences in Islamic educational management due to their context and condition in each country. This article paper aims to present the status of Islamic Education survival group that has been struggling due to their challenging conditions which can be found in the Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam; 2.Islamic education for human recourses development and identities preservation group which are legally allowed by the governments to conduct Islamic education which has been supported and funded by foreign Muslim countries. Islamic education in this group has benn developed by adopting curriculum models in various sources from different countries to improve learner' academic achievements and preserves their ethnic identities. This group  includes Thailand, the Philippines and Cambodia; and 3.Islamic education for comprehensive excellence group which comprises  Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunai Darussalam and Singapore. The educational system in these countries are recognized as the best practice of the Islamic educational system, this system can be used as a curriculum and instruction model topromote Islamic education in the group 1 and 2. The most significant challenge towords Islamic education management for educators is to establish the ASEAN Islamic Education Curriculum.