Baru Bian – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (Oct 26): The Ministry of Education’s (MoE) directive for government education institutions to hold activities for Palestine Solidarity Week demonstrates a worrying lack of discernment among its highest officers, said Baru Bian.
The Ba Kelalan assemblyman and Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) secretary-general said these officers, who have been entrusted with the shaping of our children’s minds and future, failed to 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.
“To maintain the impartiality of our education system, we must recognise that such decisions and directives are not within the ambit of the Education Ministry. We call upon the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Education to reconsider this decision and ensure that our schools remain sanctuaries for unbiased education, where children are nurtured to be responsible, compassionate, and well-informed global citizens,” he stressed in a statement.
He said schools should remain neutral spaces for learning, growth, and understanding.
“This is particularly crucial in our country 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,” he said.
Baru said he was shocked to learn of the directive from the Office of the Deputy Director-General of Education calling for all schools to observe a solidarity week in support of the Palestinian cause by organising certain suggested activities.
He pointed out that the Anglican Bishop of Sarawak and Brunei, the Rt Revd Datuk Danald Jute, who is also Anglican Mission Schools president, had issued a memo to heads of mission schools strongly disagreeing with the directive; while 17 civil society groups from Sabah and Sarawak had also issued a joint statement expressing their alarm and objections to the unprecedented move.
“I fully support the statements made by the Rt Rev Bishop and the group of NGOs. 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,” Baru said.
He said it is essential that Malaysians empathise with the suffering of war victims and promote a message of peace.
However, taking sides in these conflicts and involving young children in such politically complicated matters is not conducive to their well-being and education, he added.