GROUP 7: ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION

List of Members:
1) Dini Marinah Binti Mohd Yassin
2) Georgiana Anthony Gani
3) Mandy Clarie Patrick

1.0

Emerging Issues
Theme : Unity in Educating

Articles Title
Racial unity possible if race-based

Stakeholder

education abolished, Ahmad Zahid

Government

Says
Exploring Teachers Perceptions in
Managing Interracial Interactions in a
Multicultural setting: A Case study of

Teacher

Five Malaysian Secondary Schools in

Klang Valley
How The Arts, Moral Education And
Service Empower Children and
Parents To Address Racial
Discrimination

2.0

Speakers Notes

Non-Government
Organisations
(NGO)

Issue
Unity through single-streamed
school

Multicultural problems in
school

Using UDP to foster unity

among races

DINI

Do you know that we can promote unity through education? However, I noticed some
multicultural problems in school.

DINI

Point #1: I had a moderately low view of diversity in Malaysia

My view on diversity is still moderately low despite the multicultural trainings I received from
Ministry of Education during pre-service and in-service. I feel that I am inadequately prepared
for the challenges of the multicultural environment in schools. Neither the trainings I received
were sufficient nor satisfactory. I learned multiculturalism mostly from the theoretical point of
view.

DINI

Point #2 I found out that the ideals of culture that dominates the discourse on
multiculturalism in school depends on the major races in that school.
Most national school types are dominantly occupied with Malay-Muslims. Hence, the

Malay-Muslim ideals of culture appear to be dominating the discourse on multiculturalism in

school. Many Non-Malays, both teachers and students, appear to have a good idea about what
is allowed or not allowed in the Malay-Muslim culture. However, other cultural and religious
practices, such as vegetarianism practices among Hindus, are relatively lower compared to their
understanding for Malay-Muslim cultural and religious practices. I feel that this lack of
understanding has made some of the teachers feel that their culture or religious beliefs are not
properly respected.

MANDY

I think the government can tackle the problem by implementing single-streamed

school

MANDY

Point #1

Single stream schools create environments where all the races

are united in terms of education.

In single stream school, pupils are educated with the same system no matter what ethnicity they
are from. Well, its not that unity doesnt happen in the current education system but the
organization and the way things are evaluated are still different from the Sekolah Kebangsaan,
Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (C) and Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (T). Through the single stream
school, we can adapt the advantages of each school to create a more productive environment
and overcomes the problems that had been bugging each types of school. I believe they are a
few good things from each type of schools that we can implement in the single stream school to
overcome the weaknesses in other types of schools if they merge.

KACIT

Oh, yes indeed. You know even The NGO also implemented a program that

overcome a racism issue among children and families. It is called Unity in Diversity Program
(UDP)
KACIT

Point #1

This problem can overcome a racism issue among children and families. What I mean is
that the
Unity in Diversity Program is an experimental approach of performing arts activities that
emerged as significant and effective in teaching moral and other constructs (unity, courage,
beauty, love, creativity) to children and provided a venue to bring previous strangers together.
Also, The Unity in Diversity Program has been expanded to include home visits and service in
the community, weaving a network of connection between Chinese and Indians to foster
genuine community beyond the childrens classes and curricula.

DINI

So, the single-streamed school and Unity in Diversity Program can unite various races

through education.
However, I also found out that:
DINI

Point #3

My students behaviour are all depend on the language and cultural

similarity.
Students and teachers cooperate better with someone who has similar cultural and religious
backgrounds. This similarity in language and culture explained why the membership of certain
student clubs and societies are made of a particular racial group. For example, Kelab Pencinta
Alam made up of Chinese students. Hence, there are only several Malays and Indian join the
club. The students feel easier to join a club or society that has many students who speak the
same language or mother tongue or they feel that they are not proficient enough to
communicate in Malay language.

KACIT

Point #2

Yes, that is correct. Regarding to the problems, it can be overcome by this UDP program.
It is where
The UDP intervention enables Chinese and Indians to attend and participate together in
the classes in the learning centre
Fyi, Both groups will benefit from this ongoing moral and character development program. This
program aims to create opportunities for cross-racial friendships between the Chinese and the

Indian students. And it is same goes to what you have said, that most Chinese joined the Kelab
Pencinta Alam and only few of the Indians and Malay joined it. That is why I said this UDP
enables to create another opportunities for this land of cross-racial friendship. The Theory of
Change Model is used for unpacking an intervention like UDP to describe the processes of
social change by investigating inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, impacts, assumptions,
micro-steps, problematic linkages and mechanisms. In considering how to use the arts to bridge
racial divides in Malaysia, the assumption is that the Chinese students who are involved in the
moral and character program had a misconception, influenced by their parents, about Indian
students. This misconception led to a rejection to play and mingle with Indian students.
MANDY

Owh.. So its like that.

MANDY

Point #2

The rejection might still happen if the single stream school is to be made a reality. Therefore It
means extra work for the ministry of the education because The
Ministry of Education will need to work extra hard in producing an effective education
plan for the single stream schools.
Since the current Malaysian Education Blueprint is still on going, the ministry will have to come
up with a system that does not interfere with the implementation of the blueprint. The current ongoing system is applied to all schools therefore it shouldnt be a problem to still use the blueprint
if it is declared successful after its evaluation in 2017. However, slight changes have to be made
as extra classes will need to be held. Formal educations for native language such as Chinese,
Tamil, Kadazandusun and Iban have to be moved to optional side. Pupils can choose the
language that they wish to learn. During the designated time for the chosen subjects, pupils will
go to different classes and go back to their class after the period is over. You see, pupils are still
separated here.

MANDY

Point #3

Imbalanced stress on language learning might happen. As we already know, globalization in

education is being stressed in the Malaysian Education Blueprint. If the single stream school are
to be made a reality, the English language might be spared the most time since it is indeed the
second language of our country. Though unity is what we aimed for, the ability to unite even
when come from different background is the thing that made Malaysia a unique country. Parents
might also argue that their children are not getting enough formal education about their mother
tongue language. I touched before on how pupils are still going to be separated when they

choose the language that they wanted to focus on because, lets be frank, it will be impossible
for all Malaysian to learn all the languages during the school period.

KACIT

Oh so, thats one of the difficulties in implementing single-streamed school.

Point #3
I believe both ethnic student groups will further embrace each others cultural
differences if the UDP program is maintained
The impact of the Unity in Diversity Program is visible. It has created a more harmonious microcommunity in Jenjarom, a place where both the Chinese and Indian ethnic groups are able to
learn, socialize and serve together. As the two ethnic student groups mixed for the first time by
learning one anothers dances and songs. Also, the home-visits allowed both ethnic groups to
interact with one another in real-life, strengthening relationships.

MANDY

Point #4

The implementation of the single stream school will have to adapt to constant changes
for a long period of time.
A new system will need to be evaluated regularly. If they are any issues, the best solutions have
to be carried out. Therefore regular updates are expected every year, and it might still take a
few decades before the system truly stabilize. This young Malaysia will have to be patient for a
very long time before declaring that it has an educational system that truly bring us Malaysian
together. Furthermore, Malaysia will continue in its evolution, we cannot predict how Malaysia
will look like 50 years from now. That is why Malaysia have to consider taking big leap in uniting
all the cultures in Malaysia. It will be a strong root for the future Malaysian to hold on together.

DINI

Point #4

I do agree that we cannot predict what Malaysia will look like 50 years from now. But from what I
can see now, from my perspective,
I do not used to see the differences of politeness and moral conduct due to the
differences in cultural background
Some of the Indian students behaviour were quite abnormal for me because the way they
treated one another was quite rambunctious, which to students was something normal. I also
found out that the non-Malay students were not greeting their teachers as often as the Malay
students. I also stumbled upon some non-Malay students who are inadvertently perceived as
being disrespectful towards teachers because they used pronoun I or in the Malay language,
aku instead of saya. The pronoun aku is considered disrespectful and even offensive in the
context of formal conversation. Hence, I, as a teacher, should teach the students the correct
way to address this delicate issue on expectation of conducts and behaviours in multicultural
school environment.
KACIT

Point #4

Yes. I am totally agree with you. There are also new community learning centre housing
various character and moral education programs has been built.
During special occasions, up to 50 Indian children and their parents now participate in
community centre functions. Indian involvement has gradually been accepted by Chinese
families who support the character education programs. As they performed for Chinese parents,
which allowed these parents to accept the presence and involvement of Indian children in the
community centre. The previous activities prepared all students to serve together in community
projects for the betterment of society.

DINI

I gained a lot of insights from our discussion today and I believe its the
same for both of you?

MANDY & KACIT

Yes, we do agree.

MANDY

Maybe we can meet another time?

KACIT

Yes, maybe we can discuss about this again.

DINI

Okay, until next time. Goodbye.