Beyond Academic Excellence:Life Skills and Extra-mural Courses for Students ofNew Horizons College ­ (IBERR / AMS UK 2013)Over the past 10 15 years Muslims in many parts of Nigeria have woken

up to the need to establish Islamically-oriented independent (private)

schools at nursery, primary and secondary levels where children can get the

best of modern education and Islamic orientation.

This write-up is a humble effort to help proprietors and Head Teachers

of such schools to develop a curriculum that gives the children the best start

in life. It is also meant for parents of students in New Horizons College,

associations of Muslim Schools in all parts of the world and members of

IBERR (International Board for Educational Research and Resources) with

whom we work hand in hand at the international level.

The first few years of a new school are not easy, and proprietors and

administrators have much to do to get competent and stable staff, to handle

finances, to equip the school, to get approval from the Ministry of Education

and to face the National examinations.

At the same time Muslim proprietors and staff need to take a number of

decisions in answer to the question “What makes an Islamic school

“Islamic”?”

Proprietors and parents have many different answers to this question.

For some, what they want is just Islamic Studies, Arabic and Qur'anic

recitation, plus the National Curriculum. Some parents also want their

children not only to read the whole Qur'an with tajwid but also to

memorize it. Others would like the medium of communication in the

school to be Arabic.

The school eventually faces reality and decides on how to balance the

wishes of Muslim parents and the demands of the National Curriculum.

However, on the basis of our practical experience, the availability of

Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Qur'anic recitation does not make an

Islamic school “Islamic” unless the school is lucky enough to have really

charismatic teachers who can bring the subjects to life. Unfortunately such

teachers are rare, and for most students Islamic Studies is just another subject

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that is not considered very important for West African Examination

Council (WAEC) exams or university admission. Very few students opt for

Arabic Language for WAEC. It is hard to pass and is soon forgotten when a

student leaves school, and Qur'anic mallams (i.e. traditional local teachers)

do not usually teach the meaning of the Qur'an in English or in vernacular.

Due to this scanty and superficial Islamic teaching there is little

behavioural difference between the graduate of a secular school and the

graduate of a so-called “Islamic” school.

It is against this background that New Horizons College in Minna set up

an “Islamic Orientation Board” to look more closely into “what makes an

Islamic school “Islamic?” The Board, drawn from proprietors, school

management, selected school staff and selected staff of the Islamic Education

Trust, looked into the entire student experience within the school, from the

call for Fajr prayer and throughout the day until “lights out” in the night. A

school that is predominately boarding has several advantages since there is

time for many activities in the evenings and at weekends and more

opportunity to monitor and counsel boarders in terms of conduct, attitudes,

personal problems and spiritual matters.

Over the past 10 years the College has gradually introduced a good

number of programmes that are not part of the National Curriculum but are

in many ways even more important than many of the “subjects” in the

curriculum, which are often quickly forgotten as soon as West African

Examination Council (WAEC) exams are out of the way and students focus

on their university academic priorities.

Each programme adopted by New Horizons College is designed to help

the student to grow and think and act as Muslims. Some of the programmes

are designed to draw deeper meaning from subjects or topics that are

normally taught from a secular perspective in accordance with the National

Curriculum.

Some programmes are taught as part of the regular daily classes. Some

replace the usual time-table. Some are conducted in the afternoons or at

weekends.

Over the 6 - year stay of students in New Horizons College they are

expected to experience each of the following courses, programmes and

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TRAINING COURSES/WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS

Islam and Dialogue for Peaceful Co-existence

Teachers and others wishing to take this course for

da'wah or teaching purposes should apply to the Director

of DIN (Da'wah Institute of Nigeria), Islamic Education

Trust, P.M.B. 229, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria; email:

.

Courses are organized at various times of the year at

different levels.

Islamic Perspectives and Other Courses

If any school wishes to adopt Islamic Perspectives or

any of the other courses mentioned, it should contact the

Principal, New Horizons College, P.O. Box 3066, Minna,

Niger State, Nigeria; email: . The

College from time to time receives small groups for

discussion, training and observation of the courses in

action. There is a modest fee for accommodation, feeding

and workshops.

dawahinstitute@gmail.com

nhcminna@yahoo.co.uk

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© Islamic Education Trust, Nigeria 2013

COURSES

SECTION 1: SECONDARY LEVEL

1. Self-discovery Adventure (Junior Secondary Students)

2. World Geography (JSS 2) (1 period per week)

3. World History (JSS 2, JSS 3, SS 1, SS 2) (1 period per week)

4. Islamic Perspectives (JSS 2, JSS 3, SS 1, SS 2) (Juniors 2 periods,

Seniors 1 period per week)

5. Public Speaking (JSS 2, JSS 3) (1 period per week)

6. Islam and Dialogue for Peaceful Co-existence (Senior Secondary 1

and 2) (2 whole days for each class at the beginning of each term).

7. Personal development and Leadership (Seniors)

8. a) Girl Talk (SS 2&3 Girls)

b) Guys' Gist (SS 2& 3 Boys)

9. Spouse Selection in Islam: (SS 3 Boys & Girls)

10. Business and Islamic Financial Literacy (SS 1 and SS 2)

11. Career Counselling (SS 1 and SS 2)

12. The Six Thinking Hats (SS 1 and SS 2)

13. Prefects Training Activities

14. Qur'anic Arabic (SS 1 and SS 2)

15. Nasihah (Good Advice) (all students)

16. Mind your Manners (all students)

SUMMARY OF PROGRAMMES

1. Self-Discovery Adventure (JSS)

This course, designed for students in the Junior Secondary classes,

teaches skills and principles for achieving a high level of

effectiveness in all aspects of life.

The students are introduced to the concepts of 'planting deep

roots', deliberate and planned habit formation and visual goal

setting. They are also provided with practical hints on character

building.

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The aim of the course is to:

awaken the students' minds to the influence that they are

capable of wielding over their lives;

inspire them to make wiser and more fulfilling choices on a

regular basis.

2. World Geography (JSS 2)

(One period per week for 1 year)

In JSS 2 the students begin World History. The course covers:

Stars, galaxies, the Big Bang, the Sun, the Solar system, Planets, the

Earth, Seasons and Climate, Water cycle, Oxygen Cycle, Surface of

the earth, continents, oceans and seas, political maps, globes,

countries and capital cities.

The course then turns to visual understanding of climate and its

effects on the land, vegetation, animals and human habitation, and

lastly climate change. Students taking this course need to have some

basic knowledge of World Geography.

Source Materials:

Planet Earth, State of the Planet by David Altenbrough, An

Inconvenient Truth by Al-Gore (all DVD’s).

3. World History (JSS 2, JSS 3, SS 1, SS 2)

(One period per week for 4 years)

This course is intended to fill a great gap in the National Syllabus. It

begins with the Stone Age and the great civilizations of Mesopotamia,

Egypt, China, India, the Mediterranean, Meso-America, and the

Muslim world and modern world history.

Source materials: The Complete Book of the World History.

American Educational Publishing. ISBN 1-56189-089-8 plus assorted

DVD's on civilizations of the past.

4. Islamic Perspectives (JSS 1, JSS 2, JSS 3, SS 1, SS 2)

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(Juniors twice a week, Seniors once a week)

Islamic Perspectives is a course devised by New Horizons College and

developed over the past 8 years. The College realised that

implementing “Islamization of Knowledge” (as proposed by some

Muslim scholars since the World Conferences on Islamic Education

in the 1970's and 1980's) would not be feasible or practical in the

current secular educational environment.

Instead of replacing the secular system, the College has introduced a

parallel Islamic approach to knowledge. Students therefore learn and

fully understand the secular approach to the sciences and other fields

of study, but also, under the guidance of a separate teacher, they

explore the subjects from an Islamic perspective and thereby enrich

their understanding of the subjects and develop a greater appreciation

of Allah's creation and His bounties to mankind.

“Islamic Perspectives” also covers a Muslim's way of thinking and

his/her manners and conduct in accordance with the Qur'an and the

Sunnah.

Source books and DVD's are as follows:

JSS 1: Islamic Manners and Social Conduct by B. Aisha Lemu,

Abdullahi Orire and Asiya Rodrigo (available at Ilmi

Bookshop, IET Minna).

JSS 2: Wonders of Allah's Creation: Books and DVD's by Harun

Yahya in Turkey and Islamic Bookshops in the U.K.

JSS 3: Steps on the Right Path: Selected Hadith on Moral behaviour

and other topics Selected by B. Aisha Lemu and Adama

Alhassan Dolley (available at Ilmi Bookshop, I.E.T. Minna)

SS 1: For Men of Understanding: Further material on Allah's

creation, animal behaviour, water cycle, nitrogen cycle. (Ref.

Book & DVD, Harun Yahya in Turkey, and Islamic

bookshops in the U.K.)

SS 2: Islam the Natural Way: How to live and think as a Muslim in

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2013 © Islamic Education Trust, Nigeria

relation to family, community, work place, nation, ummah,

people of other religions.

e-mail address for Harun Yahya books in the U.K.

Ta Ha Publishers ( )

e-mail address for Islam the Natural Way in the U.K.

MELS Publishers ( )

Note: Teachers may draw on the materials used by New Horizons

College in teaching these courses but need not follow the New

Horizons model strictly. In fact, it would be better if teachers pick

what they like and leave out what they are not enthusiastic about.

Teachers should choose topics that theyare passionate about because

in order for Islamic Perspectives to retain its vivacity, it must be

teacher inspired and student centred. Teachers need to be flexible

about what topics to teach. It is advisable if possible to give copies of

the Harun Yahya books to students due to the richness of the

illustrations and text.

Influencial Movies: The following films available on video or DVD

are suitable for screening for students at weekends or any

convenient time:

Junior Level:

1. The Message (a moving portrayal of the life of Prophet

Muhammad from his Call to Prophethood until he died).

2. Adam's World: A “Sesame Street” for Muslims.

3. Lion of the Desert (the story of Umar Mukhtar and his

struggle to defend his country against colonial occupation).

4. Pathways to Islam (three young Muslim men narrate their

journey to Islam).

5. Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet. (A documentary on the

impact of the Prophet’s message on modern Muslims in

America.)

sales@taha.co.uk

orders@melspublications.com

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Senior Level:

1. Malcolm X: The story of his life and how he found Islam.

2. Hotel Rwanda: A film based on the historical events revealing

people's behaviour during the Rwandan genocide. The story

raises moral issues.

3. To kill a Mockingbird: A film about a lawyer's defense of a

black man wrongly accused of a crime in the deep South of the

USA.

4. Kingdom of Heaven: A glimpse of the Crusades and the

wisdom and courage of Saladin (Salahuddin).

5. Public Speaking (JSS 2 and JSS 3)

This course concentrates on building confidence in the students and

empowering them with the essential skills and resources for making

effective public presentations.

The course covers everything from overcoming public speaking

phobia to voice projection, body language, preparation, how to

present to different audiences, the use of visual aids and great tips on

how to make effective, memorable presentations. It also lays a firm

foundation for debating.

The confidence built by this course has a tremendous impact on the

self-esteem of the students.

6. Islam and Dialogue for Peaceful Co-existence (SS 1 and SS 2)

At the beginning of each term 2 days are set aside for SS 1 and SS 2

students to do this course. The topics treated are often those

controversial ones that are not taught in the Islamic Studies syllabus

and are commonly misunderstood by Muslims and non-Muslims

alike. The course also includes the issue of extremism. The aim is for

the students to understand the issues concerned, and the various

interpretations of the scholars, to draw their own conclusions and be

able to correct Muslims or non-Muslims who have misconceptions

about Islam.

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2013 © Islamic Education Trust, Nigeria

(Teachers and others wishing to take this course for da'wah or

educational purposes should apply to the Director of DIN (Da'wah

Institute of Nigeria), Islamic Education Trust, to be included in its

training programmes. Training materials will be provided for trainees

which can later serve as resource materials when conducting the

course in a school.)

7. Personal Development and Leadership Course (Seniors)

This course teaches skills and principles for achieving a high level of

effectiveness in all areas of life. It aims to

provide practical guidelines for attaining effectiveness in all

aspects of life through self-mastery (channeling energies in the

best direction; attaining full emotional maturity; maintaining

optimism and personal discipline.);

explore essential skills for living with and leading others (Skillful

communication, creating an “Everyone can win” environment

and creative co-operation).

When it was first conducted for New Horizons College students,

it lasted for just about three hours. In order to enable students

absorb it deeply and have sufficient time to apply what they are

taught and be mentored accordingly, it was later designed to last

for about two and a half sessions. In its current form, the first part

begins in SS 1 and ends in SS 3. It can be compressed into shorter

periods if necessary.

8. Pre-Marital Counseling (Girl Talk/Guy Gist) (SS 2 & 3 Girls / SS

2 & 3 Boys)

As students approach the end of their secondary school education,

there is a lot of pressure on them to decide which higher institution to

apply to and how to choose a course of study. However, there is very

little attention given to the pressures that come with life in the higher

institutions, a place where there is almost absolute freedom.

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During this course, the facilitators address thorny and sensitive issues

such as handling interaction with members of the opposite gender,

making informed choices about avoiding or starting relationships,

dealing with issues relating to drugs, cults, etc. and navigating the

pressure-filled world of academics. The facilitators use anecdotes,

stories from true life experiences, practical examples and exercises,

and short drama skits. The facilitators' casual and down-to-earth

manner encourages the students to ask questions freely and share

their thoughts. At the end of the two part course, the students often

leave equipped with tips on how to balance their academic, social and

spiritual life in higher institutions.

9. Spouse Selection in Islam (SS 3)

This course empowers youth to know the Islamic perspective on

various issues related to spouse selection.

Topics discussed include the position of Islam on personal choice and

arranged marriages, investigating a proposed match, dating, medical

testing, inter-ethnic/inter-cultural and inter-faith marriages, bridal

gifts (mahr/sadaqi) and other wedding rites, family planning,

methods of child-bearing, and rights and responsibilities in both

monogamous and polygamous marriages.

The advice of the Prophet (SAW) to marry for faith and character is

explored in-depth, including how these qualities may be reliably

identified in a potential spouse. The role of du'a (such as istikhara),

systematic evaluation and interpretation of “signs” in the process of

spouse selection is also discussed.

Lastly, the course explains the perspective of Islam on marriage as a

foundation for the development of a Muslim's faith.

10. Business and Islamic Financial Literacy (SS 1 and 2)

Without financial wisdom, money is lost by those who have it. With

financial wisdom, money is secured by those who don't have it, in sh'

Allah.

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The course covers the vital but basic principles of saving, income,

increasing streams of income, investing, debt-management, Islamic

ethical investments and the importance of halal wealth-building.

11. Career Counselling (SS 1 and 2)

Decisions about your career impact on every other thing in your life.

How do you go about your choice? Do you have a plan? Students are

counseled to think of their strengths, not their weaknesses. Successful

people don't try hard to improve what they're bad at; they capitalize

on what they're good at. They are persistent. They are ready to be

bold and to learn from their mistakes.

Truly successful people deploy themselves in the service of

something larger than themselves. The course helps youth to leave a

legacy.

12. The Six Thinking Hats (SS 1 and 2)

The Six Thinking Hats is a thinking tool developed by Edward

deBono, an internationally acclaimed scholar and thinker.

It is a method of assessing ideas, suggestions, problems and issues from

different useful perspectives that ensure systematic exploration in the

process of decision-making. It minimizes adversarial argument and

leads to wise decisions arising from the consideration of all relevant

factors.

13. Prefects' Training Activities

As soon as the prefects are appointed, their formal training in

leadership, organization and people management starts. Prior to this

time, they were asked to shadow the old prefects while the staff

observe and guide them.

The formal training includes several activities.

Gung Ho: A course in team building and team work based on the

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© Islamic Education Trust, Nigeria 2013

life styles of some animals created by Allah.

8 Seeds of Leadership: A course which focuses on core principles

necessary for effective leadership. Lessons are drawn from hadith,

Qur'an and the examples of true life leaders.

Team Building and Leadership, Games and Exercises: These are

games intended to teach them spirit, trust, communication and

camaraderie.

Finally, the prefects have a barbecue with the facilitators, hostel

staff and some academic staff. The aim of this is to promote

bonding between the prefects on the one hand and the prefects

and staff on the other hand.

These training activities last for about seven hours, though the

training for prefects is a continuous process involving the facilitators

and key college staff. Adopting a hands-on approach, the training staff

reinforce the lessons from the training activities, address problems as

they occur, counsel, mentor, give positive redirection and offer

personal and spiritual advice as often as possible.

14. Qur'anic Arabic (SS 1 and SS 2)

All students in SS 1 and SS 2 take one period per week of Qur'anic

Arabic, after having completed 3 years of Arabic Language in

Junior Secondary.

The subject “Qur'anic Arabic” empowers students to understand

the meaning of their five daily prayers, supplications and

recitation of the Qur'an, which they study throughout their stay

in the school.

“Qur'anic Arabic” enriches their understanding of the

vocabulary of the Qur'an by connecting related words through

their linguistic roots.

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