KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) women’s chief Kho Teck Wan expressed her disapproval of primary and secondary schools being involved in activism relating to wars in other countries. Kho was surprised and concerned to learn that all schools under the Education Ministry were instructed to organize a “Solidarity with Palestine Week” from Oct 29 to Nov 3.
She believes in the freedom to express sympathy and support for a particular country or race, especially when it pertains to human rights. However, Kho emphasized that the Education Ministry should not involve school children in international conflicts.
Kho was referring to a directive from the ministry for government education institutions to observe a solidarity week in support of the Palestinian cause. She also highlighted that Sarawak comprises individuals from diverse racial and religious backgrounds, and involving school children in such activism could potentially create unnecessary problems among its communities.
Kho urged the unity government to segregate schools from the politics of war in foreign countries and advised against setting a precedent of involving primary and secondary school students in street politics.
Kho joined the Anglican Mission Schools in Sarawak and a group of NGOs in voicing concerns over the involvement of schools in the alleged solidarity week. The Bishop of Kuching and Anglican Mission Schools president Rt Rev Datuk Danald Jute believes that the Education Ministry should focus on its core business and refrain from engaging young children in the complex conflict in the Middle East.
Danald emphasized the need to teach children to respect one another regardless of their religious and ethnic backgrounds. He stated that in all wars, there are no winners, only death and suffering, and encouraged solidarity with all the innocent victims on all sides.
Furthermore, a coalition 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. They expressed concern that the ministry’s directive was implemented without discussing it in the Dewan Rakyat or consulting parents.
The group feared the negative impact on young minds by exposing them to the global world of protests and involving them in the Middle East crisis. They also expressed concern about the potential promotion of sentiments, condemnation, hatred, and prejudices, believing that it could poison the young children’s minds.
