Page 82 - YBAM 50th Anniversary Souvenir Magazine

Buddhist textbooks in the name of YBAM, syllabus for the primary school Buddhist
THE JOURNEY OF
COMPILING BUDDHIST TEXTBOOKS
PREFACE
The YBAM fifth six-year plan (2004-
2010) stated that Buddhist education is
one of the six major areas of the YBAM.
YBAM explicitly listed the compilation
of Buddhist curriculum, textbooks, and
teacher’s guidebook from preschool to the
college level as the principal educational
project. Since 2004, YBAM has gradually
published Buddhist textbooks and
teacher’s guidebook of standard one to
six for primary school. ‘To Always Follow
the Buddha’s Teachings’ which comprises
two volumes were published in 2015 and
2019 respectively for secondary school.
CONCEPT
To cultivate children / youth to achieve a
balanced development of rationality, emotions,
and willpower through the Dharma, thereby
shaping a perfect personality for building
a society full of wisdom, compassion, and
gratitude.
OBJECTIVES
080
starting from primary school, secondary
school, and even up to the level of
university and college. There were two
reasons for such a proposal:
1. From the 1980s to the 1990s,
Dharma classes in primary and
secondary schools throughout the
country flourished. There was an
urgent need to provide a set of Buddhist
textbooks that are different from the
traditional teaching materials (such
TAN EOW TEIK
as ‘Elementary Buddhist Textbook’
or other textbooks written by other
organisations) and are relevant to
To instill right views, understanding, contemporary demand, to convey the
and faith for children / youth towards doctrines of Buddhism and Buddhist
the Triple Gems. knowledge through a more interesting
and effective approach.
To establish correct moral values and
religious values in children / youth. 2. At that time, there were rumours
that the Ministry of Education was
To develop compassion and wisdom keen in incorporating various religious
in children / youth. teachings into moral subject. For this
reason, YBAM prepared in advance
To cultivate children / youth with the and compiled primary school textbooks
spirit to love and nurture Buddhism. according to age.
To encourage children / youth to COMPILING THE CURRICULUM
make good use of the Dharma in their AND SYLLABUS
daily lives.
To compile a textbook, we must first have
To shape the wholesome personality a curriculum. At that time, YBAM had no
of Buddhist youth, in order to promote idea at all, so with the support of the then
the prosperity, harmony, and progress chairperson of Education Committee Lim
of both the society and the country. Phaik Har, an editorial board was set up
for the curriculum compilation. Wong Sien
However, the initiation, conceptualisation Biang, the then YBAM Vice President and
and its implementation started from 1995. a lecturer of Trainee Teachers College,
At that time, the Education Committee was invited to lead and guide the editorial
came up with the idea of publishing
board in the writing of curriculum and
50 YEARS OF DHARMA PRO PA GATION CO NTINUING THE MIS SION IN THE 5G ER A
textbooks.
The writing process was complicated
and delicate, the editorial board met
almost every two months, which lasted
two to three years. In November 1998,
the curriculum was finally published.
However, in the next three years, no one
showed any interest in the curriculum,
and no organisation compiled a textbook
based on the curriculum.
COMPILING BUDDHIST TEXTBOOKS,
ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS, AND TEACHER’S
GUIDEBOOK FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL
In 2002, Tong Cheng Beoy served as the
chairperson of the Education Committee,
she prioritised the education affairs and
pushed for the establishment of the
‘Primary School Buddhist Textbooks
Editorial Board’. After the first meeting on
8 March 2002, the compilation of primary
school Buddhist textbooks was officially
started. Altogether 6 volumes have been
published according to the age groups.
The preparation of textbooks was
cumbersome and lengthy, including
writing, reviewing, drawing, composing,
making CDs, and designing activities.
After the completion of textbook series,
the teacher’s guidebook will need to be
designed and written. For this, the editorial
board had set up three task forces, which
were responsible for administration,
reviewing, and writing the teacher’s
guidebook.
In terms of write-ups contribution, it involved
a careful selection process, inviting drafts 081