PETALING JAYA: The Rukun Negara Club should be set up in all schools including vernacular schools and the religious schools that fall under state religious departments, says the G25 group of eminent Malays.
The group, which lauded plans by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek to expand the Rukun Negara culture among schoolchildren by encouraging the formation of more Rukun Negara Clubs including at private schools, said all types of schools must be involved.
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"Efforts should be made so that the state-controlled religious schools would fall under the purview of the Education Ministry and be subjected to the Education Act 1996 which requires them to follow the national education curriculum," the group said in a statement on Tuesday (Aug 22).
The G25 also proposed that the Federal Constitution be taught in schools together with the Rukun Negara, as the two subjects complement each other.
"We can begin teaching pupils the principles of the Constitution as early as when they are in primary school – but perhaps in the (upper primary) – especially on the aspects of fundamental liberties and human rights.
"This is so that they would be exposed at an early age to, and be appreciative of, such human values as equality before the law, freedom of speech and expression, personal liberty, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement, freedom to profess one’s religion, etc.
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"The part of the Federal Constitution dealing with the system of government can be taught at the secondary school level," said the statement.
The G25 added that an understanding of the Constitution would help students understand their constitutional rights and obligations, shaping them into better citizens.
The group also said students should be taught why the Rukun Negara was formulated by the National Consultative Council following the tragic event of the racial clashes of May 13, 1969.
G25 also said that while the Rukun Negara had been accepted as Malaysia’s National Philosophy by its people since its creation in 1970, it was not given a central role in the country unlike the Pancasila in Indonesia, which had become a central unifying pillar of Indonesian society and was accepted as a central concern of Indonesian education.
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G25 added that attention to the application of the Rukun Negara in school culture will help the younger generation grow up to become responsible and broad-minded citizens who are not easily influenced by those who exploit race and religion for political objectives.
"Malaysia is a young nation and more importantly, it is much more multiracial than most, each race having its own cultural and religious heritage.
"As a nation, whatever their differences, Malaysians must learn to live as one big family, with the awareness that no one race can isolate itself from the others," it said.
In addition, G25 said it would also like to see wider and deeper moves towards an appreciation of the spirit and principles of the Rukun Negara throughout the entire education system at all levels, from early childhood to higher education, covering both the public and private sectors of education.
"This exercise should involve other sectors of the government and society at large, including education experts, both public and private sectors, and civil society organisations.
"Our nation needs this strong injection of unity built on the principles of the Rukun Negara, seeing how divided it is at this moment in time," said the G25.
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The group also raised other pressing issues such as the lack of quality education, the need to empower teachers and build their teaching competencies, and the need to review the school curriculum and time allocated for core subjects.
For example, it said that the primary school curriculum has many hours of religious education, thus leaving less time for STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics) subjects.
In primary school, the average time spent for religious studies is seven and a half hours a week compared to the sciences at five hours a week and mathematics at six hours a week, said the G25.
"Making a few of the religious subjects a part of an after-school curriculum will allow more time spent on STEM subjects during the day, while allowing Muslim students the option of attending the remaining religious (classes) after school," it said.
The G25 reiterated that it is of utmost importance that religious schools conform to the national education system to ensure that students who attend only state religious schools are also exposed to a well-balanced national education curriculum.
It also called upon Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to bring the Malaysia Education Blueprint Report 2013-2025 to the attention of the Cabinet so that there is a consensus among ministers to bring about the necessary changes.
