KUCHING, Oct 26: The Federal government, particularly the Ministry of Education (MoE), must ensure that schools in Malaysia remain sanctuaries for unbiased education.
Urging this, Ba’ Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian asserted that any unhealthy and dangerous practices, such as involving schools and young children in politically complicated matters like the Israel-Hamas crisis, must be stopped and not encouraged.
“We stand in unwavering solidarity with the innocent victims, including children, women, and men, who are caught in the crossfire of complex international conflicts, such as the Israel-Hamas crisis. It is essential that we empathise with their suffering and promote a message of peace.
“However, taking sides in these conflicts and involving our young children in such politically complicated matters is not conducive to their well-being and education,” he said in a statement today.
Baru was referring to an alleged directive from the office of the deputy director-general of the MoE, calling for all schools to observe a solidarity week in support of the Palestinian cause by organising certain suggested activities.
He stressed that schools should remain neutral spaces for learning, growth, and understanding, which is particularly crucial in Malaysia where political parties routinely play on religious and racial issues to drum up support.
“This unhealthy and dangerous practice must be stopped, and not encouraged.
“Moreover, we must consider the precedent set by such actions. If we involve schools in one international conflict, what would stop us from doing the same in the case of other wars, like the Ukraine conflict or any future crisis? It is crucial to maintain the integrity of our educational institutions and keep them free from the entanglement of global political disputes,” he said.
He went on to criticise the directive by the MoE shows a worrying lack of discernment by the highest officers entrusted with the shaping of our children’s minds and their future.
“To maintain the impartiality of our education system, we must recognize that such decisions and directives are not within the ambit of the MoE,” he added.
Baru also noted that the controversy has drawn back lash from various quarters with the Bishop of Kuching and Mission Schools president the Rt Rev Datuk Danald Jute had issued a memo to heads of mission schools to express strong disagreement with the directive, while a group of 17 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from Sabah and Sarawak issued a joint statement expressing alarm and objection at the unprecedented move by the MoE.
“I fully support the statements made by the Rt Rev Bishop and the group of NGOs,” he added. — DayakDaily
