THE two-story building in the neighborhood of Ulu Tiram, Johor Bahru, Malaysia, has already lost its charm. Its walls are old and faded and the roof is in disrepair, while tall swaying grass covers the 2-hectare yard. The painted sign which identifies the school has already faded. Only the words Lukmanul Hakim, written in Arabic calligraphy, can still be read.

This Islamic boarding school consists of a block of two-story classrooms, a dormitory di