Schools should give lessons on diversity, says NGO

 

Schoolchildren must be taught about other communities and to understand each other, say education activists. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Schools must introduce lessons on diversity and expose children to books on the subject, says the human rights group Pusat Komas.

The group’s programme director, Ryan Chua, said Malaysia must foster a generation of people who learn about each other and understand each other better, thus curbing animosity at a time when issues of race and religion are easily used to mislead the people.

He said Sweden and New Zealand were examples of countries that have successfully promoted cultural awareness and unity among children.

Cultural diversity was integrated into Sweden’s national curriculum, while New Zealand incorporated Maori language and culture to foster respect and understanding for indigenous traditions, he said.

His comments come in the wake of a suggestion by communications minister Fahmi Fadzil on the need to expose children to the culture of reading, especially books showcasing the diversity of ethnic and religious communities in Malaysia.

Chua said the government must demonstrate its commitment by implementing strict legislation to prohibit “little napoleons” from disrupting unity.

Malaysia should move away from superficial efforts and carry out dialogues to raise awareness about other cultural practices. “Only then, can we foster a knowledgeable generation that celebrates differences,” he said.

Fighting the stereotypes

Former Universiti Malaya professor of education T Marimuthu said the ministry of education and schools should ensure there is a diverse representation of Malaysian society in the school curriculum and textbooks.

“There should never be a stereotyping of different ethnic or religious groups in the country. Otherwise, the children coming out from primary or secondary schools will have a stereotypic view of different groups.

“So that is where the role of the school, textbooks, and curriculum is very important. The portrayal of different ethnic groups has to be balanced, real and truthful,” he said.

How society can help

Marimuthu said teachers must be given cultural training to enhance their sensitivity towards different ethnic groups, along with encouraging students to sit in diverse groups during classes.

He said the public must be open to learning about different cultures; parents were crucial in cultivating a reading habit in their children from an early age to enable a better understanding of a multicultural society.

Former Suhakam commissioner Jerald Joseph said teachers should be taught to avoid promoting bigotry and racial discrimination.

“If the common education curriculum can have this, then we can imagine a generation that will learn the correct values in nation building,” he said.

An equality commission, similar to that in countries like the UK, is necessary to address racism, he said.

Human rights education, too

Joseph, who is also a Pusat Komas director, said human rights education should also be implemented in schools for students to learn about equality and respect for all communities.

He said examples can be taken from the Philippines where human rights education is integrated into their education system since primary school.

“Interreligious harmony teachings can also be included in the human rights education if it’s implemented. If not, a separate component on interreligious dialogue as a fixed short course for all students in schools and universities should be established,” he said. - FMT