Challenges in Teaching the Arabic Language in Malaysia: A Study at Public and Private Universities

Abstract

n the context of Arabic language education in Malaysia, the language has long been studied beginning at the preschool level, followed by primary and secondary education, and continuing to the university level. However, weaknesses in students’ mastery of the language have become increasingly evident, particularly in language skills. Therefore, this paper aims to examine the challenges in teaching the Arabic language at several universities in Malaysia. It also proposes several recommendations to strengthen Arabic language teaching in higher education institutions in Malaysia. This qualitative study employs two methods, namely the library research method and the interview method. A total of four lecturers were selected as informants, consisting of two lecturers from public universities and two lecturers from private higher education institutions. The findings indicate
that the challenges in teaching Arabic can be categorized into three main aspects: students’ attitudes, lecturers’ attitudes, and curriculum and pedagogy. Therefore, to strengthen Arabic language teaching, appropriate emphasis should be given to lecturer empowerment programs, student reinforcement, and the development of curriculum and pedagogy.