Challenges of Educational Waqf Management in Sekolah Agama Rakyat (SAR) in Kedah

Abstract

People's Religious School or Sekolah Agama Rakyat (SAR) is an Islamic educational institution with the role of producing Islamic intellectuals in Malaysia. SAR’s flourished all over Malaysia, proving that it received acceptance among Malaysian including in Kedah, signaling SAR as one of the contributors to Islamic educational development in Malaysia. However, there is nonuniformity in the management of SAR educational waqf in all Malaysian states, causing an imbalance in SAR educational waqf management. This study on identifying the challenges in managing SAR educational waqf was due to the said problem, particularly in Kedah. It uses the document resource analyses and in-depth interviews of selected SAR educational waqf in Kedah as its study method. Data obtained was analyzed using the content analysis method. The main issue in obstructing the development and management of SAR educational waqf in Kedah is the absence in the coordination of educational waqf of SAR throughout Malaysia. The coordination needs to be given attention so that balance happens in SAR’s development. The study also discovered existence on challenges in managing SAR educational waqf, especially in financial resources aspect, shortage of skilled staff, unproductive waqf asset, and incomplete infrastructure.