KUCHING: The Ministry of Education (MoE) has been told to focus on its core objective of providing quality education instead of dragging young pupils and students into the world of complex international politics and armed conflicts.
The Anglican Bishop for the Diocese of Kuching and Brunei Datuk Danald Jute said MoE and Sarawak Education Department “should not waste their time, energy and resources in organising such an event and to expect teachers and students to participate (in issues involving the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict).”
“It is not appropriate to involve schools and school children,” he said in a memo to heads of mission schools in Sarawak.
“The MoE needs only to focus on its core business – and not drag our young kids into this complex conflict and sully their young minds by way of drumming in upon them a one sided narrative.
“Even worse, to put out an unsubstantiated storyline as though it were true fact,” he said.
Explaining further, he also cited a video reportedly prepared by the Sarawak Education Department in which the state education director “accusingly stated that the Al Ahli Hospital was bombed by Israel when the sad tragedy which killed hundreds of people was in fact – according to numerous reports – the result of a misfired missile from within Gaza itself.”
Danald said such videos in the first place should not have been allowed to be shown in Malaysian schools.
He was particularly concerned by a notice from the MoE on Oct 21 and Oct 22 which requested all educational institutions under the ministry to observe a solidarity week in support of the Palestinian cause from Oct 29 to Nov 3.
“We believe the Palestinian people deserve better, both from their own leaders as well as the Israeli authority.
“We call for a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and for an immediate ceasefire so that food, water and vital medical supplies can be safely delivered to the hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians in Gaza,” he added.
Danald said children (pupils and students) must be taught to respect one another irrespective of one’s religious and ethnic backgrounds and 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. Let us pray and work for peace,” he said.
