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PM: Pondok schools to keep religious core, add AI and TVET components to meet modern needs

PM: Pondok schools to keep religious core, add AI and TVET components to meet modern needs

Malay Mail21-07-2025
PUTRAJAYA, July 21 — The Ministry of Finance (Treasury) has been instructed to explore ways to enhance the capabilities of pondok institutions, including upgrading existing facilities and improving the curriculum to better align with current needs.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the move is crucial to ensure students are not only grounded in religious knowledge but also equipped to face contemporary challenges,
Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, gave his assurance that the traditional religious syllabus will remain intact. However, it will be complemented with elements such as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), technology, and artificial intelligence (AI).
'We will not interfere with the existing syllabus of pondok institutions, but we will incorporate new components such as TVET and AI.
'It is not about changing the system, but to complement and enhance it with elements that reflect current demands,' he said during a gathering with staff of the Prime Minister's Department here today.
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