28 January 2014

Bigger role for teachers in promoting social cohesion By Datuk Dr Siti Zaleha Abdullah Sani

NEW STRATEGIES NEEDED: They should not be limited to a few subjects or activities in a year

DIVERSITY in society challenges the way we view and value differences, and recognise commonalities.

Common belonging is reflected in the acceptance of the diversities in the mainstream of daily activities.

But accepting diversity as a way of life challenges the community to review their cultural heritage and identity, and to redefine an identity that is inclusive and acceptable.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in his New Year message, had asked all Malaysians to reaffirm their commitment to peaceful co-existence because at the end of the day, those who we disagree with are our neighbours.

According to studies, there is less contact and interethnic communications at the social level as the nation advances towards higher economic development.

Some new urban housing areas are almost designated by ethnicity principally because of the cost, the location and services provided.

The process towards a collective and inclusive identity under the 1Malaysia slogan is not helped when student enrolment into schools continue to reflect homogeneity. The ethos of single ethnicity is further reinforced when schools and parents demand that teacher appointments to schools are based on ethnicity.

Children from a homogenous background at primary level are faced with a traumatic and bewildering first year in secondary school, where they are required to cope with a language they cannot comprehend, teachers who cannot comprehend them and a school culture so incomprehensible.

Schoolchildren who have lived in this situation display very little or no understanding of the cultural background of the children they go to school with.

The simplest and clearest evidence is in a class where children are not willing to sit with others not from the same ethnic background unless they are forced to by the teachers.

When children in class sit together, it means sharing the same "work" space, which includes sharing of books and pencils, checking out each other's answers and being cheeky together. It is a means of establishing a relationship through learning and working with others from a different ethnic background that will provide the bonds that will endure.

A teacher helping her pupils to put up decorations in conjuction with Chinese New Year. Teachers must adopt meaningful strategies to promote unity among students in school.

The school environment, where children spend one fourth of their life everyday for at least 10 years, is ideally positioned to showcase a harmonious society at work with each other.

Teachers, who are in the frontline of social cohesion duty, must themselves become knowledgeable about other cultures at a broader level than just the obvious cultural symbols such as arts, attire, festivals and food found in school textbooks.

The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 recognises children transiting from a homogenous ethos to a mixed environment demand a new context that challenges the deliverers and parents.

The Education Ministry will undertake to improve the Bahasa Malaysia syllabus so that the competency gap of children from vernacular schools is minimised.

A recent case study conducted by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia shows that poor competency in Bahasa Malaysia has disabled the child from achieving in comparison to those who have the language competency. Those who do not acquire the language within the first year of secondary school continue to remain in the bottom half throughout their schooling years. Hence, a spike in the attrition rate is the norm, and a tragedy for the country.

The ongoing "Rancangan Integrasi Murid Untuk Perpaduan (RIMUP)" will contribute positively to more cohesiveness in school, but teachers need to be helped to be culturally competent.

Teachers in the case study indicated a strong sense of professionalism in their readiness to work with other teachers, regardless of ethnic background. However, given the choice, teachers prefer to share their personal time with other teachers from a similar ethnic background.

Teachers who teach in a culturally homogenous environment, or from homogenous background, may not themselves be exposed to other cultures and, therefore, are not able to educate children to appreciate other cultures. Therefore, teachers need to be taught about and be able to use culturally sensitive approach when teaching any subject.

The role of all teachers in promoting social cohesiveness cannot be limited to a few subjects or a few activities in a year.

Social cohesive duties should be a feature in teacher belief construct along with meaningful teaching strategies to promote social cohesiveness everyday in every lesson and in every school.

Datuk Dr Siti Zaleha Abdullah Sani is a Senior Fellow of ISIS