Non-Muslim teacher hopes to shift negative perceptions of Jawi

 

Lorenica Frenila Masundim made it a habit to share pictures and videos of her students’ classwork on Facebook but she did not expect her recent post to gain widespread attention. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

A non-Muslim Sabahan teacher has become a hit on social media for teaching Jawi in school, with her neat writing of the script drawing praise.

It reminded some netizens of the 1970s when Jawi was more commonly used and learned by Malaysians of all races.

For 34-year-old Lorenica Frenila Masundim, it was just part of her job teaching Bahasa Melayu at SK Bawang K9 in Beluran, Sabah.

Lorenica, of the Rungus ethnic group, said Jawi has been part of the BM syllabus from Years 4 to 6 since 2020, but she had learned Jawi when being trained as a teacher in 2009, Harian Metro reported.

While Jawi’s introduction in the BM syllabus was controversial, the teacher personally hoped to shift the negative perceptions that some might have, particularly the assumption that the script was only used by Muslims.

“Teaching and learning Jawi has nothing to do with Islamisation or even tarnishing the sanctity of Islam. Jawi isn’t a religious script, it belongs to everyone.

So we should not think negatively when this script was incorporated into the education system. Look at it from a positive perspective, that this would preserve the art, culture and history of this special script created by our ancestors,

 she was quoted as saying.

Lorenica had made it a habit to share pictures and videos of her students’ classwork on Facebook, but she did not expect her recent post to gain widespread attention, including from former education minister Maszlee Malik.

Maszlee was the education minister when the government announced that the Jawi script lessons would be introduced in 2020.

Aside from the praise and plaudits, Lorenica has also received her fair share of negative comments online, though she remains unperturbed.

“There are many who said they missed learning Jawi and hoped that its teaching would be expanded even more.

If we want a more peaceful future for our country, we must make room to accept each other’s cultures,

 said Lorenica. - FMT