STAGES OF LEARNING IN ISLAMIC EDUCATION

[Engr_JosephLv2: Member]

STAGES OF LEARNING IN ISLAMIC EDUCATION

Islamic Education in the Qur’anic schools, otherwise known as Informal Education, is carried out in stages. These stages according to Dambo (1994), are the early childhood or Nursery stage called Makarantan Yara, the elementary state (tittibiri) and Adult Education stage. Varied curricular activities are daily being operated in each of the stages, which commensurate to the age, ability and interest levels peculiar to the students.

NURSERY OR EARLY CHILDHOOD STAGE (MAKARANTAR YARA)

This stage consists of children of tender age of say between three to five who normally follow their brothers and sisters to school. These are grouped together in one corner of the circle and instructed orally to recite and commit to memory shorter chapters (surahs) of the Qur’an and other Islamic rituals of purification, ablution, prayer and ethics. “The only pleasure they
(children) derive from the system at this stage lies in the choral recitations which often follow a sing-song pattern. The pupils seem to enjoy reciting these verses to themselves in their homes and at play”. (Fafunwa, 1974.)

The instructional technique at this stage is such that the teacher recites the shorter surahs to the pupils and the pupils in turn repeat after him. This routine is repeated several times until the teacher is fully convinced that his pupils have mastered the correct pronunciation. The pupils are then allowed to retire and continue reciting these ayats (verses) on their own until
they have been thoroughly memorized before proceeding to the next set of ayats. This way, the pupils progress in their studies before entering the next stage of learning.