Producing global citizens – the right way

ARGUABLY, the idea behind the recent Palestine Solidarity Week initiated by the Education Ministry was a positive one: to include students in expressing Malaysia’s stance on the ongoing war in Gaza.

In this global village engendered by the Internet, it is crucial to educate our students about world affairs, develop global citizens who can take their place comfortably on an international stage and express opinions about matters beyond our shores.

But resorting to crude behaviour like brandishing toy guns or burning flags is surely not the way to do it. It smacks of indoctrination rather than education.

The ministry’s heart was in the right place, but its execution was severely lacking. To its credit, it did respond to the resounding criticism and issued guidelines, albeit belatedly – the solidarity week ran from Oct 29 to Nov 3, and guidelines were issued on Oct 31 on X (formerly Twitter).

They included refraining from extremist rhetoric, avoiding blaming any groups or religion and avoiding activities that may incite confrontation, among others.This was a one-off issue that was perhaps handled without much thought or preparation, but it does highlight how important it is that our children are given a broader perspective on history and taught about human rights and universal values.

And such values can be taught at any level – even primary school kids can understand that in a far-off country, little kids just like them are being hurt by adults, and that is not right no matter who does it. Older students could be taught to make it a habit to begin by examining both sides of an issue before they form an opinion, one that is guided by universal values. But are our teachers up to giving such lessons?

Of course, apart from modern history teachers, perhaps, we wouldn’t expect every educator to be able to talk authoritatively about something as complex as the Israel-Palestine conflict at the drop of a hat. But they can certainly be trained to deliver information – any information – impartially without colouring it with their personal feelings or extreme views.

Their role is to facilitate learning, encourage critical thinking and help students develop a nuanced understanding of complex global issues.

Education, after all, is not merely about imparting knowledge; it’s about nurturing well-rounded individuals who can contribute positively to society.