Introduction

 I would like to thank for the invitation to present to the participants of the Transforming the Welfare of Orphans seminar hosted by the Malaysia Orphans Welfare Organisation (PEYATIM), supported by the Federal Development Office State Penang, USM and Orphans Welfare Federation of Malaysia. I chose to talk about Educate with qalbu(conscience), something that may be a little out of our normal expression. If we always see this as the main focus of education to produce people who are able to compete in the highly competitive world of work, I think before we face competition, let us return to the main purpose of education. I touched on qalbu (conscience) because it is only in that way that we will feel the meaning of knowledge and the role of the wise men as qalbu is said to be "the heart, the seat of the inner feelings, or pure qalbu intended such as a pure heart", at least not based on the definition by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. Because of that, this afternoon, I want to remind myself and invite you once again to experience the true meaning comes from the educational process that needs to be touched qalbu qalbu educated people and in the end turn to give the outcome that we desire in the community, my country and race.

 

Why Qalbu?

We can observe how the efforts attempted for obtaining the optimum results, from educating the teachers through the process of producing students and graduates up to the highest level. While there were criticisms and views from a variety of perspectives and disciplines, but eventually we would like to have young children who are produced from an education system that are able to become a perfect human being and have the attitude that we expect.

We know the United Nations Organization itself through UNESCO has outlined at least four major educational pillars, namely “Learning to Know, Learning to Do, Learning to Live Together and Learning to Be”. All these encourage our country and also other countries around the world to develop a frame of mind that can nurture and educate our children to enable formal education process meet all four of these pillars.

However, in reality, we realise that the four pillars are not enough as the real success is often measured in terms of marketability for someone coming out of the existing education system and his ability to climb the success that is based on economic and physical dimensions. This imbalance was often closely associated with the educational process that took place, having voids here and there and eventually failed in producing the quality of being humane and let alone gauge from the point of interaction with human, the environment (including flora and fauna), and what more the Creator.

Because of that, there were calls to carry out transformation, even if revolutionary, of the educational process, ensuring that the spirit (of education) returned can be felt by educators and students can finally be shared and also remembered to ensure that it can achieve the desired goal. The call, this call has a strong foundation based on the facts of social problems, extreme "exam oriented", failure to be more innovative and creative in thinking to produce new inventions, the difficulty of their knowledge to be more "generalist" not too "specialist" making it difficult for someone to move in the range of needs that exist.

We also see the pressure received from the students but also the educators who want to see the excellent performance in examinations as a measure of success. We rarely see the fate and pathways of the less brilliant or mediocre, and how "capacity building" and talent management can be done in creative and innovative ways to produce something original and new.

 

Values in Education

Educational process as a whole, especially when we talk in the context of orphans, I think, the question of qalbutouched many religious scholars and intellectuals who are important for us to consider. The question of qalbu is closely related and we should be familiar with to really appreciate and feel.

This matter is more important because disclosure of excellence through the education process is on-going and need to be broad and holistic. It is interrelated with the ecosphere through the development of a more comprehensive organisation and perceived human development as an important mechanism in organisations and institutions of excellence then it will be developed within the local community, the nation and the world at large. Ecology should not be seen separately but as a synergy with the strength of knowledge and human resources based on clear values, also supported by the core, pillars, vision and mission and principles. These can be implemented in a realistic manner and can be dynamic educational process to help make a difference.

This means that the educational process can be shifted from the state of "thinking" (thinking and idealism) to that of actions that will result in those who are able to think, play with creativity and to innovate while progressing with clear goals of what we want to achieve and to urge to implement as "operational" by all responsible in the effort. What is important is that those involved know how to distinguish clearly between an action plan and a strategic plan, the focus of the performance of how it is achieved and implemented, the effective and efficient process with "red-tape" that needs to be disposed unless there are strong reasons pertaining to existing regulations. This also means that the educational process should focus on the development of the human soul with his heart and conscience.

This also is part of variables or "enables" that should be used basing on technology, creativity and innovation as change agents to mobilise the entire organization in meeting the planning framework and our focus is to drive excellence holistically from conscience or the felt qalbu. The eventual objective is to receive blessings and provide benefits to mankind, the environment, and the universe as a field that provides opportunities and awards for grateful and to be shared.

All of these take into account the knowledge pyramid that includes the disfranchised and the largest empirical knowledge, followed by rational knowledge and the pinnacle is "spiritual" knowledge which is often not adopted formally in the process of positioning knowledge. "Spiritual" Knowledge pillar is real to a learning process because it cannot be seen but rather felt in the form of qalbu which is the Creator which becomes the determinant in giving the blessing or the so-called "blessings" of the process knowledge.

Educating Goals

 Based on the above, then we aim to educate and educational process must be done to receive blessings. Blessings are achieved when the way and the method is correct and the logic for them to be carried out is also correct. In other words, when we educate, an educator must really understand that what is taught and teaching method are interlinked for a better understanding of what is taught to students. An instructor is not a parrot that repeats what is taught but teach wholeheartedly and know and realise results that are wished for.

An educator will see that what he teaches is a trust and obligation in shaping a personality and acquiring knowledge which he gives on disciplinary control. An educator will organize his own strategy in translating knowledge and enhance understanding of the students, organise tactical moves to interest them and in the end are aware of how to translate wisdom to its operational process. Looked at it on the day of qalbu, this process will send a clear signal to the receivers who are the students.

From the aspect of pedagogy that is based on psy-war in educating these children who had to be dominated first by the educators who will do it with patience, diligence, commitment and "passion". An educator will feel the day their students tremble, pressured and yet have fun, and at the same time pressure along discloses excellence desired by all, especially among children who are moving into adulthood that requires understanding, empathy and determination to see where the spirit in the educational process is made.

Of course, this will be felt by the children particularly students when they look to educators who educate with love, attention, patience and perseverance. They are made aware of the ultimate goal of knowledge, not only to pass the exam with flying colours but no less important is our understanding of knowledge, discipline and study the whole process is done to increase the capacity to think, to develop the intellect and to ‘play’ with creativity earnestly and innovation production for the benefit of the community, the nation and the world at large. This can lead to freedom of thought within accountability and responsibility as well as to create and express their pride. 

The whole process of education linked and intertwined in a network of eco-systems and cycles like a clear web or virtual, but its impact can be felt and manifested in a more robust manner, not only to explore knowledge, but the development holistic human, physically nor thought, without neglecting the importance of conscience.

 

Developing Qalbu

 To realise this goal, efforts to develop education should raise qalbu within the mould of education which is closely related to education management and efficient knowledge management. This is to return to the concept of knowledge and the discovery of knowledge that should be developed in an integrated manner with emphasis on holistically clear niches and uphold wisdom as the highest ethics.

Development of qalbu should be based on human reality and humanity, the environment, the values of life and to get back to basics and not forgetting the fundamental knowledge and the nature of human nature, and spirit are important in human development that we want.

Of course we have to see later how this process will strengthen the efforts for the development of its own strength and distinctive niches, efforts that are benevolent and best in the human context, to humanity and his God, and always relevant to the environment, common sense and the world at large.

Naturally also, the development of qalbu can see the values of truth, reliability, transparency, accountability, justice, humanity, and thus able to strengthen the governance that is humane in embracing everything to receive blessings that is premised on the values of ethics, aesthetics, integrity, professionalism and pure religious spirit.

 

Conclusion

Educating with qalbu will also come to qalbu that can be felt and imbued. To be effective it must be really sincerity and earnestness of soul, and the sincerity is true. Those involved are aware and intentionally know that they will be judged and see that in reality it is no longer human but God who will conferred the blessings.

At that point, an educator and students will see with his feelings and evaluate with a deep feeling and with a passion for excellence because the ultimate goal is to receive blessings and pleasure of Allah. This is similar to those who see it as an effort of a jihad for the cause of Allah, boldly asserting the desired truth is the grace of Allah, and whatever happens is a tool and mechanism to achieve the passion of faith. Both students and teachers a mutually connected virtually although their distance may be apparent, but that qalbu will finally be opened always.

It is very accurate when we look at how relationships and a sense of our respects for teachers and those who teach us previously although their income is not much but their devotion cannot be measured. The feeling of respect that remains often lingers in our memory for decades.

But most important is how to educate with qalbu enabling a person to always understand the purpose and the learning process which is also monitored by his conscience and understand that knowledge is the outcome of how a person thinks, acts and their attitude based on knowledge, facts and data, and realise that he has the trust and responsibility to make a difference in the community and not just good at pointing fingers to escape accountability for the knowledge they have. That is meant as blessings and pleasure of God as the primary basis for the qalbumovement.

Unfortunately, our educational process rarely takes into account either qalbu among their educators or the students. Education from qalbu will be able to instill the true meaning of knowledge and appreciation of the love of a nation and gratitude to his native land that has to be maintained through the knowledge available. We are too preoccupied emphasising on employability and success in terms of economic development which should not be ignored but should be balanced between aspects of personality and qalbu. We are concerned when things are imbalanced, we will produce students who are weak in his life being able to give up easily, prone to stress by emotional instability and with low morale. Return to qalbu and be nourished by faith to find blessings in everything we do.

[Text presentation of Professor Dato’ Omar Osman, USM Vice-Chancellor in the Orphans Welfare Transformation Seminar organised by the Malaysia Orphans Welfare Organisation (PEYATIM)]