Challenges Facing the Madrassa Institutions in the Teaching of Islamic Religious Education: a Case Study of Galole Constituency of Tana River County.

Abstract

This study examines the challenges facing Madrassa Institutions in reference to Galole constituency of Tana River County. Throughout the inception of Islamic faith in Kenya, Muslims have been struggling to acquire Islamic knowledge as one of their fundamental religious duty. Islamic Religious Education started from the premises of mosques that were initially referred to as Qur‟anic schools. Later on, they developed into Madrassa institutions with structured curriculum reflecting both religious and secular sciences. The research therefore, attempted to unearth the role played by Islamic Education in comparison with other educational systems such as African Indigenous Education and Western oriented education.The study begins with exploring the origin and development of African Indigenous Education, Islamic and Western Education.Thereafter, special reference was given to the Madrassa Institutions which were the epicentres of the research. The introduction of the Madaris in Galole constituency had great impact on the African traditional religion as the population was transformed into an Islamic society a fact which proved its great impact on the local traditional community. Likewise, the study revealed numerous issues pertaining to the functioning of these pertinent religious institutions. Their impact to the current young generation has met with negativity, and this was the core focus of the study. The challenges facing these Madrassa institutions were so crucial that required a deep insight. This led the researcher in giving his recommendations for improvement and action.The study has established the great tireless effort, zeal and determination of the late renowned Muslim scholar Sheikh Umar Dimah (d.2006) who was responsible for the Islamization of a majority population in Galole constituency.The research outlined his unique contribution to the introduction and development of Madrassa institutions in the constituency, besides his first group of students such as Sheikh Awadh Dololo, Sheikh Said Kidanga and other contemporary scholars such as Sheikh Salim Umar Dimah, Sheikh Muhammad Ali Doyo ( Khatwat), Sheikh Abdul- Qadir Ali, Sheikh Abu Bakar Salim and Sheikh Abdul Rashid Awadh, among others. As Mugambi, J.N.K. puts it, “Through the process of schooling, the African elite have also been largely alienated from African cultural and religious heritage”, I would also say that through the improvement and integration of the western schooling system, the Islamic religious education is also fading out gradually. The study is therefore, creating a vivid awareness to all Muslim stakeholders in Kenya to team up in addressing the challenges facing the Islamic religious educational institutions. vi The recommendations suggested in the study will act as a stepping stone towards modernization of the madrassa institutions so as to provide education that will be holistic to our youths, thereby enhancing self-reliance in moral, spiritual and secular development. Establishment of integrated schools, faith-based non-governmental organisations, better remunerations for teachers, among other recommendations have been highlighted in the study. It is the hope of the researcher that other studies of this nature will be carried out to give a more elaborate scrutiny of the madrassa institutions.