History needs to be more interesting, inclusive, say experts

 

Helen Ting of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia says history needs to be more representative of the diverse cultures that helped build the nation. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Academics have urged the government to make the national education system’s history syllabus more inclusive by incorporating the different perspectives of Malaysia’s diverse communities and regions.

“Education should teach students to appreciate that different people may understand the same historical events differently.

“It may depend on their personality and positionality. We should help the students learn to emphasise and grasp these differences in their proper historical contexts,” said Helen Ting of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Ting, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, said an “inquiry-based approach” may stimulate more interest in learning history as a way of widening their worldview.

As an example, she said, a more comprehensive way of teaching about the Japanese occupation would be for students to learn about the lived experiences of the different communities.

On Sept 16, Tuaran MP Wilfred Madius Tangau urged the government to review its history syllabus to make it more appealing, especially since it is compulsory for students sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination to secure a pass in the subject.

According to the Daily Express, he said the current syllabus is too “fact-laden” and lacks a compelling storyline capable of fostering a stronger sense of national belonging.

Ting also pointed out that the current syllabus is “overwhelmingly Malay-centric” with insufficient mention of the involvement of Chinese and Indian communities in the nation-building period, let alone the Orang Asli community in Peninsular Malaysia.

“The current Form 3 (syllabus) focuses too much on the dealings between colonists, sultans and ruling elites in different states. This may have contributed to the students’ boredom,” she said.

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She said some information, such as claims that the British had accepted the sultans as sovereign rulers of the Malay states, is misleading and ought to be clarified or removed.

“This is a colonial ideology propagated by the British to the sultans. In  fact, the sultans had very limited power under the British indirect rule system,” she added.

Meanwhile, Teo Kok Seong of UKM called for history textbooks to put forward a more “balanced representation” of Malaysia’s diversity.

“Our country is diverse, and is host to all kinds of ethnicities. The representation of history must foster an emotional connection with the communities from these different religions, ethnicities, races and so on,” said Teo.

Cultural activist Eddin Khoo said history textbooks should not shy away from sensitive topics as understanding different perspectives can help students develop their critical thinking.

“We have already matured and our society is democratic, so I don’t think there should be any controversy about teaching these things, such as May 13,” he said. - FMT