Don't get kids involved in international conflicts, says SUPP women's chief

KUCHING: Primary and secondary schools should not be involved in activism relating to wars in other countries, says Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) women's chief Kho Teck Wan (pic).

Kho said she was shocked and concerned to learn that all schools under the Education Ministry were instructed to organise a "Solidarity with Palestine Week" in the week of Oct 29 to Nov 3.

"I am of the opinion that one has the freedom to express sympathy and show support towards a certain country or race, especially when it involves human rights.

"Students can form their own opinions, however the Education Ministry should not involve school children in international conflicts," she said in a statement on Thursday (Oct 26).

Kho was referring to a directive by the ministry for government education institutions to hold a solidarity week in support of the Palestinian cause.

She also said Sarawak was made up of people from multiracial and multi-religious backgrounds, so involving school children in such activism could potentially create unnecessary problems among its communities.

Kho urged the unity government to separate schools from the politics of war in foreign countries.

"Don't create a precedent as it is not appropriate for primary and secondary school students to get involved in street politics," she added.

Kho joins the Anglican Mission Schools in Sarawak and a group of NGOs to voice concerns over the involvement of schools in the purported solidarity week.

The Bishop of Kuching and Anglican Mission Schools president Rt Rev Datuk Danald Jute said the Education Ministry should focus on its core business and not drag young children into the complex conflict in the Middle East.

"We are rightly outraged by the atrocities committed by both sides. Yet we are of the mind that the Education Ministry and Sarawak state education department should not waste their time, energy and resources in organising such an event and to expect teachers and students to participate in it.

"It is not appropriate to involve schools and school children," he said in a memo to mission school heads on Wednesday (Oct 25).

Danald also said children must be taught to respect one another irrespective of religious and ethnic backgrounds.

"Children must be reminded that in all wars, there are no winners - only death and suffering. For that we must stand in solidarity with all the innocent victims on all sides," he said.

Separately, a group of 17 NGOs, including 12 from Sabah and Sarawak, urged the government and Education Ministry to keep international conflicts and religious disputes out of schools and educational institutions.

"We are looking at the seriousness of dragging school children into becoming part of the global, grown-up world of protests and subjecting young minds to get embroiled in the Middle East crisis," the group said in a joint statement on Wednesday (Oct 25) night.

They expressed concern that the ministry's directive was made without discussion in the Dewan Rakyat or consulting parents.

"We fear the misalignment of sentiments, condemnation, hatred and prejudices being championed by zealous teachers who are led to believe this is a religious war and that anti-Semitism is justified.

"We cannot poison our young children's minds," the group said.