‘Overwhelmed by the pandemic’: the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on students’ questions in religious education in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Türkiye

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article seeks to examine the effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on religious education (RE) in the three Muslim-majority countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Türkiye. It specifically explores the effects of the Pandemic on students’ interests by asking questions in RE classes and the way in which RE teachers respond to them. Malaysia, Indonesia, and Türkiye were chosen, as they all have a Muslim-majority population, and their respective curriculum encourage the constructivist learning theory, which suggests that learning should be a student-active process. This is qualitative research that employs a case study design. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with RE teachers in the three countries to learn about the changing interests and questions of the students and how teachers respond to them. RE teachers from upper secondary schools without a religious character (i.e. common/public schools) were chosen for the interviews, as older students are more likely to ask challenging theological questions in the face of the Pandemic. The study documents the Pandemic’s effects on RE, specifically students’ interests and questions and the way in which RE teachers respond to them. Additionally, it provides insights into how RE could help students to better understand the new experience, such as the Pandemic.