EDU 3093I

INSTITUT PENDIDIKAN GURUKAMPUS TUN HUSSEIN ONN

BATU PAHAT, JOHOR

SHORT COURSEWORK

EDU 3093i

TEACHER AND CURRENT

CHALLENGES

PISMP JAN 2012 / SEMESTER 8 / TESL 3

NAME : MOHAMAD SHAHIRRAZ BIN RUSLI

IC NUMBER : 910610-01-6265

CLASS : TESL 3

LECTURER’S NAME : DR. BALAKRISHNAN GOVINTHASAMY

Mohamad Shahirraz bin Rusli Tesl 3 Teacher and Current Challenges

1.0 Introduction

The months of August and September in our annual calendar are of great

significance to all Malaysians. On the 31st August every year we celebrate our Hari

Merdeka or Independence Day while on the 16th of September we commemorate

Malaysia Day and this year we will celebrating Malaysia’s 58th birthday. As we

commemorate these two very significant events we should take pride in the fact that

ever since our Nation secured Independence in August 1957, it has remained peaceful

without facing major security threats that could jeopardies its stability, peace and

harmony except for the May 13 1969 racial riots and the recent Lahad Datu terrorist

incursion.

Malaysia today stands out in the world as an example of how different ethnic

communities can live in peace and harmony and work together for the progress and

well-being of the nation. As a country of diverse races, cultures and religions, Malaysia

is indeed unique in proving how its diversity could be united and harnessed for nation

building. Despite the different political ideologies and contrasting view and opinions, we

have been able to respect and appreciate one another. We were able to conduct 13

General elections peacefully and without bloodshed.

We have been a harmonious society and it is necessary for us to further enhance

and strengthen our inter-racial understanding and trust for one another despite

whatever differences. We should continue with greater fervour and determination to

strive towards building our multi-racial nation into a united Malaysian nation with a

sense of common and shared destiny. National Unity is very vital and is the key to

Malaysia’s success. Whether Malaysia will become a fully developed nation by the year

2020 will depend on a number of important factors, the most important being national

unity.

Unity should therefore be the basis of all programmes and activities for nation

building. Malaysians should be more conscious of their role and contribution towards

national unity which is paramount to the nation’s growth and development. National

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development would not be meaningful without understanding, harmony, goodwill and

trust among the multiracial people.

Racial and other forms of polarisation are the biggest hindrance to national unity and it

should be the responsibility of all Malaysians to reject racial polarisation in whatever

form that is detrimental to national unity. The process of establishing a united Malaysian

nation is fraught with challenges and what has been achieved so far must be nurtured.

In this regard policy makers, planners and implementers have to be committed to

the principle that their thoughts and deeds would always be guided and governed by the

objectives and standards of Rukunegara and the sacrosanctity of the Federal

Constitution. All plans for growth and development and all corrective measures for

social imbalances will be meaningful only if they are geared towards the attainment of

national unity.

Malaysians must continue to aim at nurturing and strengthening the spirit of love

and loyalty for the country and pride in being Malaysians. The spirit if patriotism must

always be cultivated and nurtured and we must continue to strengthen racial harmony

and religious tolerance at every level. All activities must be geared towards uniting the

people which is the best recipe for nation building and the achievement of Vision 2020.

The immediate task of all political leaders and all strata of society is to prevent any

further drift towards racial polarization.

2.0 Definition of concept of Unity.

2.1 Unity

Unity and integration are the same words that can be define in which both aims

at bringing different races, closer together. In Malaysia context, unity can be defined as

a process of forming and bringing national identity among various groups that have

differences in beliefs, cultures, customs, politics, social, economic functions and location

into a political entity to become one. In other words, national unity is a process to unite

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various groups that have different social and cultural background into one physical

entity or identity. For example, the effort of uniting Sabah, Sarawak and the Peninsular

of Malaysia into a federation, is an effort at achieving national unity.

2.2 Education is the key to building unity

Education plays the most crucial role in sowing the seeds of unity among the

people particularly among the young generation. In order to unite the young people

through education, the following measures need to be sustained and reinforced. First

ensure that educational programmes and teachers’ training at all levels from school to

college and university are directed towards national unity. Second, enhance the

integration of students of various races in co-curricula activities and associations, in

class and at hostels. Enhance also the teaching of universal values and local traditions

of various races in all schools. Reject the formation of race-based clubs or associations

or disallow the conduct of race-based activities in schools as well as in public and

private universities. Our education also should eradicate inter-racial and intra-racial

polarisation among students in primary and secondary schools; colleges; and public and

private universities by implementing activities which encourage them to interact among

each other including the sharing of hostels at university and Establish unity clubs in

primary and secondary schools, colleges and public and private universities to foster

unity among students.

Social development through community activities such as sports, work camps,

formation of clubs and organisations, unity gatherings, festivals, “gotong-royong” and

others are needed to enhance integration and promote the spirit of neighbourliness.

National unity indeed is of utmost importance in achieving peace, stability and wellbeing

of the nation and in the creation of Bangsa Malaysia as enshrined in Vision 2020.

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3.0 Literature Review

As spelt out in Vision 2020, it is envisaged that by the year 2020, Malaysia can

be a united nation, with a confident Malaysian society, infused by strong moral and

ethical values, living in a society that is democratic, liberal and tolerant, caring,

economically-just and equitable, progressive and prosperous and in full possession of

an economy that is competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient. Achieving national unity

and integration of the population of Malaysia as indicated in the second and third

dimensions of Vision 2020 is important to Malaysia. This is because to achieve a

developed nation status by 2020, the overriding objective is not merely rapid economic

growth but also this growth and development must also infuse with it the elements of

social cohesiveness and cooperation among the multiracial and pluralistic community

that Malaysia has in nation building. (Yin, 2006)

In Malaysia, the diversities in terms of ethnic compositions, linguistics, and

cultural and religious differences among others make unity and national integration the

core element in the country’s dynamic progress in the future. Thus national Unity should

be made the ultimate goal of socioeconomic development in the long run in Malaysia.

(Yin, 2006)

However, if educational attainment is viewed in the context of the diverse ethnic

communities, the conflicting perspective of education seems to emerge. The above

table shows that there is significant disparity in educational attainment between the

major ethnic communities at all level of educational attainments. Inherently, the major

ethnic groups of Malaysia have fundamentally different interests in education besides

from having unequal access to the benefits of the education system To assess the

future impact, a system dynamics model is constructed to simulate the educational

attainment growth path until 2050. The model considers the demographic dynamics of

each ethnic community. (Yin, 2006)

National integration, thus, covers a vast range of human relationships and

attitudes the integration of diverse and discrete cultural loyalties and the development of

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a sense of nationality; the integration of the rulers and the ruled and the integration of

the citizens into a common political process. As diverse as these definitions are, they

have a common link in that they all point to the fact that integration is what holds a

society and a political system together. (Bello, 2012)

School being the first place where a child formally placed in the society, outside

the protective zone of a family, is seen as a starting point to orientate young children of

the importance of national integration. It is a place where children are exposed to others

who they may not have the opportunity to mingle with, in other contexts. School is also

a platform to introduce the existence of other cultures, customs and religions and to

enable the children to see those differences as part of life. Eventually these young

minds could, with the right guidance, accept and celebrate differences, rather than

seeing differences as stumbling blocks. Hence, schools can harness intercultural

interaction. (Ruslan, 2006)

The Ministry of Education of Malaysia has introduced educational reforms in

various aspects of school system such as curriculum, governance, assessment and co-

curricular activities. The government also introduced different concepts of schools

namely ‘Smart School’, ‘Cluster School’, ‘Vision School’, ‘Boarding School’, ‘Mission

School’, and others. The aim of these initiatives is to transform and propel the standard

of education towards world-class educational system. (Ruslan, 2006)

The mission of the Ministry of Education in Malaysia is to produce world class

education and ensure the development of the individual’s potentials and to fulfill the

nation’s aspirations. Education is fundamental to the inculcation of values and ethics

which ultimately shape the nation's character, growth and social cohesion. The seeds of

national unity must be sown among the young, and they must be taught and convinced

of the benefits of peaceful co-existence. Schools are considered as next in importance

to the home for the inculcation of moral values in order to raise disciplined and well-

mannered citizens. Unity must be imbued at an early stage, as today’s younger

generation still have no prejudice against friends of different races, languages and

religions. The philosophy of education should call for a different perspective of what a

human being is and how to draw out the potentials in each and every one. This

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philosophy is translated into the school curriculum, which encourages the development

of balanced, well-rounded, trained and skilled individuals. Education should promote the

development of inner peace in the minds of students so that they can establish more

firmly the qualities of tolerance and compassion. It should, also, cultivate feelings of

solidarity and equality at the national level. Formal education in Malaysia is overseen by

two government ministries: the Ministry of Education (Kementerian Pelajaran) for

matters up to the secondary level, and the Ministry of Higher Education (Kementerian

Pengajian Tingg) for matters regarding tertiary education. Primary education is free and

compulsory for children from all ethnic and language groups. Although education is the

responsibility of the federal government, each state has an education department to

help coordinate educational matters in their respective states. The education system is

highly centralized, particularly for primary and secondary schools, with state and local

governments having little say in the curricula or other major aspects of education

(Khader, 2012)

When students left school, the surface ‘unity training’ received during school time

is set to evaporate into oblivion when they confronted head-on with concrete realities on

the ground. For example, as some news reports indicate, certain students may score

straight A’s in their examinations, yet, they are denied scholarships whereas others with

lesser qualifications are successful. Public always relates it with racial and ethnic

disparities in Malaysia. As a result, many Chinese youths felt alienated and are obliged

to look and study abroad, or to private institutions for their professional training. At

home, the parents may indulge in bitter banter with visitors about the inequalities in life

for them and their kids as a non-favoured ethnic group in the country. In the face of

these and other difficult realities, whatever values of unity minority students have

imbibed at school are often rapidly undone. Thus, national unity activities at the school

level could be greatly consolidated through a genuine revisiting of current policies, in

which not just students at the school level, but students at institutions of higher learning

should also been given the opportunity to better exposure and participate openly as

Malaysians of all backgrounds in the activities aimed to strive together to create a more

unified and a more equitable Malaysia. (Lee, 2013)

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4.0 The Five Aspirations of Malaysian Education System

The education system serves as the bedrock for nation development that

nourishes and develop the individual potential and internalize the ethics and integrity.

An appropriate curriculum design may be able to guide individual to achieve personal

well-being and the well-being of the others. A well-educated individual may become a

capable leader that lead the society towards a progress, economically viable society

that may retain the noble character being loving, caring and supportive of the other

fellow human beings. Under the leadership of Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul

Razak as the Prime Minister and Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Muhyiddin bin Haji Mohd Yassin as

the Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Education, the Education Blueprint 2013-

2025 had drawn a new guidelines and policies for the education system.

According to the Vice-Chancellor of the Al-bukhary International University

Professor Tan Sri Dr Dzulkifli Abdul Razak (2013), who is also chairman of the

independent review panel for the blueprint, the aspirations comprise two aspects: firstly,

those for the education system as a whole, and secondly, those for individual students.

This vision, and these aspirations, will set the stage for the transformation of the

Malaysian education system. He also said that the PPPM is part of the learning system

whereby the students will not only gain knowledge, but can also think, learn and master

at least two languages, develop a national identity and be sensitive towards the value of

ethics. By referring on the statement by him, we can expect that the education in

Malaysia is going to change and become better. The PPPM for sure will strengthening

and preparing students to enable them to compete internationally, thus uplift the status

of the country’s education in the eyes of the world

There are five outcomes that this Blueprint aspires to for the Malaysian education

system as a whole: access, quality, equity, unity, and efficiency. These outcomes are in

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line with the aspirations articulated by participants during the National Dialogue, and are

comparable to outcomes set by other high-performing education systems. Action across

all five areas is important, and no initiative in one area should detract from or undermine

progress in another. (Education, 2013)

All the aspirations stated in Malaysia Education blueprints act as tool in achieving

and realizing the importance of education in this world nowadays. Education is a

powerful tool for a country to achieve success in line with all develop country in the

world so that Malaysia can be look upon to lead an example as a peace and harmony

multiracial country in Southeast Asia and the world.

These five aspirations not only to fulfil the needs of country in education but also

to change the attitude, behaviour and thinking style so that the people of Malaysia can

achieve the human capital that had been dreaming by every country in the world to form

the highest standard of civilization. Teacher play a very important role to fulfil the needs

of this aspiration so that it can be achieve and become reality.

4.1 Access

“For access, we believe that every Malaysian child deserves equal access to an

education that will enable that child to achieve his or her potential” (Dr Dzulkifli Abdul

Razak, 2013). The Ministry thus aspires to ensure universal access and full enrolment

of all students from preschool through to upper secondary school level by 2020. Access

to schooling is a strong tool being used by the Ministry of education to ensure that all

student in Malaysia is given the chance to attend the school for the sake of education

Meanwhile, the students in Malaysia being left out of schooling is higher in

numbers in rural areas. Government has allocate a lot of budget to build numerous

amount of school in rural areas so that all this students can be treated fairly in receiving

education. The Ministry of Education has put a lot of effort so that access to school can

be a success by the given time stated in the Malaysia Education Blueprint which is in

2025.

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To fulfil access as one of the aspirations, Ministry of Education has launch a

program to increase the amount of teachers in Malaysia by recruiting the maximum

number of teacher trainee into IPGM (Institut Pendidikan Guru Malaysia) so that all this

teacher trainee can help to fill the teacher vacancy in Malaysia. All this teachers are

being prepared in a five and half years training program in all kind of training so that

they can help to face the challenges in mentally and physically and ready to be posted

anywhere in Malaysia. This is because teacher plays an important role to educate all

the students in Malaysia in all kind of aspects.

Teachers and trainers are reflective and enquiring practitioners who think

critically about their own educational assumptions, values and practice in the context of

a changing contemporary and educational world. They draw on relevant research as

part of evidence-based practice. They act with honesty and integrity to maintain high

standards of ethics and professional behaviour in support of learners and their

expectations

4.2 Quality

Quality is the second aspiration stated in the Malaysia Education Blueprint and

it states that all students will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education that is

uniquely Malaysian and comparable to the best international systems. The aspiration is

for Malaysia to be in the top third of countries in terms of performance in international

assessments, as measured by outcomes in TIMSS and PISA, within 15 years.

According to the Ministry of Education, “Malaysia is capable of improving its position in

the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015 through the

implementation of the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025 (PPPM), hence be on

par with international standards” (Bernama, 2013). In order to improve the quality of

education system in Malaysia, the Education Ministry in a statement, said the PPPM

would help the country in facing existing challenges and transforming the national

education system to meet the demands of the more competitive global economy.

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TIMSS and PISA currently test for literacy, Mathematics, and Science only. Additional

assessments that address other dimensions of quality that are relevant to the Malaysian

context may be included as they are developed and become accepted international

standards.

Recently, the result of TIMMS and PISA that assess and measure the literacy

of Math and Science show that the literacy of students in Malaysia is far behind to be

compare to other countries in Southeast Asia and the world. The Ministry of Education

take action to strengthen this matter by put a higher standard to pass on both of this

subject. This is to ensure that the quality of Math and Science is in line as other develop

countries in the world

Other than the TIMMS and PISA issues, the government also had put a higher

standards to the requirement of the applicants to IPGM so that all the teacher in

Malaysia is standardized to the same quality as others. This is because, to increase our

student’s achievement, teachers with the best quality can teach and educate is needed

to guide them. The minimum requirement to enter IPGM is 7 A’s and they also had

some sort of mental and physical test to balance all the teachers not only in education

field but also all important aspects as a teacher such as sport and co-curriculum.

Government and Minister of Education also has plan and organized a lot of

program to increase the quality of existing teacher. For example, all English teachers

are required to seat on APTIS test by the British council and CPT test by the Cambridge

to increase the proficiency in English of the existing English teachers in Malaysia. Those

who do not pass the test are required to go the same course so that it can enhance their

level of proficiency as English Teachers.

4.3 Equity

“Equity, which is equal opportunity to enter schools regardless of whether the

students are from rich or poor families and from urban or rural areas”. (ARUNA, 2013).

Equity in the aspirations is made to close the gap of achievement gap between the

students in urban and rural areas so that the gap is close by half by the year of 2025.

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The Malaysia Education Blueprint state that the top-performing school systems deliver

the best possible education for every child, regardless of geography, gender, or

socioeconomic background. The Ministry aspires to halve the current urban-rural, socio-

economic, and gender achievement gaps by 2020.

The gap of education in rural and urban areas in Malaysia has become a major

problems nowadays. The gap between this two areas is too big and the government

hope that the gap can be close down so that all the students in Malaysia feel that they

are being treated fairly in the field of education. Ministry of Education has allocate a lot

of budget to improve the facilities in rural areas so that it is the same as in urban areas.

By constructing more buildings, prepare a better internet connection and improve some

other facilities such as computers, LCD and projector can help in closing the gap of

facilities and at the same time the education needs of the students in rural areas.

Most of the graduate from IPGM also being posted in most of rural areas

throughout Malaysia so that they can help to close down the gap of education between

these two areas. Three over four graduate of the year 2013 is being posted there and

with skill and training that they learn in IPGM can be used to help those students in rural

areas. For the January 2012 intake, IPGM has more teacher trainee from Sabah and

Sarawak with the purpose that all this teacher trainee can help their state after being

posted as Sabah and Sarawak has the highest amount of rural schools in Malaysia.

In my opinion, to those teacher trainee that graduate from IPGM with flying

colours should be posted here in Sabah and Sarawak and other rural areas in Malaysia.

This things can help to close down the gap between these two areas and also improving

the results of achievement in rural areas and urban areas as the best is sent to serve

over there. Finally, it also help in achieving the equity as the third aspiration in the

Malaysia Education Blueprint.

4.4 Unity

“Our concern here is with how the PPPM relates to national unity, which

since the Razak Report of 1956 has remained one of the cardinal goals of education”

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(Muzaffar, 2013). According to the statement, education is one of the bridge that can

unite all of the races in Malaysia. Based on the above also, we can conclude that the

government take the problem of unity among Malaysian seriously since before the

Independence Day. They know that one of the best method to unite the people are

through the education system. The PPPM regards "unity" as one of its five aspirations.

It states that the "education system should provide opportunities for pupils to share their

experiences and aspirations to build and strengthen the foundation for unity among the

people of Malaysia". It further emphasises that a strong sense of national identity is

important for the success of the nation.

The five aspirations also state that school is the bridge for unity as students

spend over a quarter of their time in school from the ages of 7 t0 17, schools are in a

key position to foster unity. Through interacting with individuals from a range of

socioeconomic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, students learn to understand,

accept, and embrace differences. This creates a shared set of experiences and

aspirations to build Malaysia’s future on. The Ministry aspires to create a system where

students have opportunities to build these shared experiences and aspirations that form

the foundation for unity.

The government trust that the unity among different ethnic and races in Malaysia

can be achieve starting from the roots and it is believe that the root is education. The

government has put the responsibility on the shoulder of Ministry of Education to

educate and inculcate unity among pupils in Malaysia. There are a lot of program being

organize with a lot of allocation for it. For Example, the RIMUP (Rancangan Integrasi

Murid Untuk Perpaduan) and the National Integration Camp. This programme

encourages interaction among pupils and teachers from the national, Chinese and

Tamil primary schools through co-curricular activities. “An evaluation of RIMUP

conducted by the ministry's inspectorate showed that it had succeeded in its aim of

breaking down barriers and bringing pupils and teachers of different backgrounds

together” (Muzaffar, 2013) . It is a pity, therefore, that RIMUP's activities have been

curtailed of late because of budgetary constraint. It is in the interests of the nation to

increase RIMUP's allocation and to expand its programmes and activities. This should

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be done as a matter of urgent priority. We should not wait until 2016, which according to

the PPPM is the scheduled date for RIMUP's expansion.

Teacher hold a big responsible to make sure that unity in Malaysia become a

success so that the feelings of racism and discrimination can be erased. In the Malaysia

Education Blueprint also state in the 9 shift for education and most of them is to unite all

Malaysia people as Malaysian. In RIMUP, the teacher has a tangential role in fostering

unity. The PPPM, which is cognizant of the central role of the teacher in the

transformation of education, has not given enough attention to their role regarding unity.

Teacher training curriculum should be reviewed to determine whether it is helping to

eradicate prejudices and stereotypes, and to enhance understanding and empathy

among the communities. Does the curriculum equip the teachers with knowledge and

skills to address religious and ethnic issues that students in secondary school

sometimes raise in the classroom?

Even more important, can teacher training build attitudes that will make a future teacher

a genuine bridge-builder rather than an erector of ethnic walls? This is a redoubtable

task given that by the time a trainee teacher enters college, her dominant ethnic

attitudes are more or less set.

Since the Foundation of Education from Tanah Melayu to Malaya and lastly

Malaysia. Most of the reports being constructed had highlighted the importance of unity

in a multiracial country such as Malaysia. The importance of creating and maintaining

unity and integration cannot be compromised. Malaysia as a country with multiracial

population cannot stop from doing efforts to unite the people and integrate them.

National unity and integration is vital for Malaysian if they want to live in peace and

harmony. The government of Malaysia since independence and even before

independence has shown its seriousness in achieving the national unity in integration.

To ensure that the national integration is achieved, the teachers and all the person and

individual in education field must play their roles and parts also by supporting the efforts

of the government and Ministry of Education.

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4.5 Efficiency

Government had allocated RM32 billion as the budget for Ministry of Education,

the second highest ministry with the budget that receive 16 percent from the overall

Malaysia Budget 2013. The Malaysian education system has always been well-funded,

yet improvements in student outcomes have not always matched the resources

channelled into the system. While the Government will maintain current levels of

investment, the aspiration is to further maximise student outcomes within the current

budget levels. With the budget of RM32 billion, the government has put a very high

hopes for the education of Malaysia to expand and show enhancement in the field of

education.

Previously, the allocation given by the government still cannot give satisfactory to

them as Malaysia has decrease in achieving a better result in TIMMS and PISA.

Government realised that education is the most important part in a well develop country

such as Malaysia and allocate a very high budget to be used for the Ministry of

Education but the performance does not goes in line with it.

As the last aspiration in the Malaysia education Blueprint, efficiency is being

highlighted so that the performance in education can increase to a higher standard. A

lot of program being implemented with the current allocated budget to make sure the

enhancement in education field among the youth and child in Malaysia. Ministry of

education also upgrade all the facilities needed by the education system in order to lead

Malaysia to a higher standard in education in line with other develop country in the

world and lead as an example for Southeast Asia.

Teachers in Malaysia have to realise their important role in realising the hopes of

Malaysia Education about the efficiency in the five aspiration. Malaysia must enhance

the education system so that it can gives satisfactory in line with the budget allocated

and teacher must become the agent in making it happen. Teacher must improve

themselves in all values such as professionalism, ethics, credibility, accountability and

integrity to show the high standards of Malaysian teacher and lead Malaysia to a higher

standard in education and makes efficiency a success.

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5.0 Strategies to Strengthen Unity among the Students in School

5.1 Provide an Integration School that consist of All Races and Ethnic

In my opinion, the Ministry of Education should abolished all the three types of

school consist of Sekolah Kebangsaan, Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina, and Sekolah

Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil and make a compulsory for all races and ethnics in Malaysia

to receive education in only one type of school call Integration school. If this basic

system can be implemented, the unity can exist all by itself as all the students in

Malaysia learn in one roof and receive the same education and challenges in learning

among each other.

By implement this kind of idea to become a system, there will be no gap in

education and all the ethnic and races in Malaysia will feel that they are being treated

fairly. This also can help in reducing the allocation for facilities in school as the number

of school can be reduce and the extra allocation can be used to upgrade the school

facilities to the highest standard.

Students that receive the same education from the same school will feel like

siblings and brothers and they will try to protect each other without the feeling of

prejudice among ethnic and races in school. They will be bonded together through the

learning process and treat all the people as the same as one. The elimination of

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negative feelings towards different races and ethnics can happen if this kind of system

can be implemented.

Unity and National integration is not about only living in the same country but

also share the same identity and form a national identity. By putting all the same ethnic

and races in one school can unite all of us as one. The implementation of this system

will help a lot in bringing all the ethnic and races in Malaysia together as one. Education

is the root of unity. It must start in the early age such as primary school. It is better if the

system can be start from the preschool and also the parents in Malaysia should support

this kind of system for the sake of unity in Malaysia. Unity will bring peace, harmony and

prosperity to a multiracial country.

5.2 Using Bahasa Melayu Language and English Language as the Language of

Instructions in School

Malay language and English language shall be used as the medium in all stages

of schooling in Malaysia. The language is a powerful tool to bring unity to different races

and ethnic in a multiracial country. Using both this language as the only medium in

school can bring closer relationship to the students even though they come from

different family background.

This system must be carried out as a compulsory and basic things in school. To

those who does not want to follow the rules or in other words still using other languages

in school shall be fine according to education law. As being discussed in the Main

Provisions of the Constitution, Malay language is made as the national language of the

country. It is used to promote unity among the people

This is because to unite a multiracial country a sacrifice is needed. It is about the

importance of unity and language will help a lot in making this dreams happening. By

using the only language in school, students can communicate freely and easily without

the feelings of prejudice and discrimination. Learning process will become easier and

students will become close to each other. Language will help in the process of uniting

groups with different backgrounds into one entity which is bound by common norms,

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values and interests. When the integration takes place, there will be a sense of

belonging and ties of feelings between people themselves

Sense of belonging among students that always communicate with each other in

the same language is stronger to be compare to the adolescent years. Unity and

National Integration will be a success with the use of English and Malay language. I am

proposing this kind of idea to be implemented in the system so that it can help to bring

unity to a multiracial country like Malaysia. This does not mean that other races and

ethnics and races cannot practice their mother tongue at all. They still can use it at their

home. This idea only to be use in school so that the students can learn with ease and

bring unity together with national integration to become reality as stated in the Malaysia

Education Blueprint to bring unity to all races and ethnic in Malaysia.

5.3 Introduce New Subject in School to Promote Unity “Multiracial Education”

This idea of introducing new subject to be taught in our education system is a

step to up bring unity into the insight of every students in Malaysia. This subject will

allow students to go deeper into each other culture and religious belief so that they can

understand and respect other ethnic and races belief. If there is no challenges or

boundary, students also will be given chance to feel and live with their friends of other

races and ethnic culture. They will learn on how to respect each other’s and finally unity

can be achieve if this new subject being implemented from year to year until all of them

is mature enough to know what is good and bad element in this life.

It is an inevitable tool to encourage a multiracial country to share their culture and

encourage to share values among them. This new subject will bring to the process of

unity and there will be a sharing of heart and minds that goes beyond cultural and ethnic

differences. This also can promote the sense of belonging among them so that they can

live with each other in a peace and harmony country.

Multicultural Education had be implemented in United States of America and it is

a success when they had been able to erase the feelings of white and black people

towards each other and can live in harmony nowadays. I believe, if this subject is being

implemented in a multicultural country like Malaysia, it can help the government to

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achieve the unity that had been dream a long time ago since the Independence of

Malaya.

There were a few things that will be highlighted in the Multicultural Education

such as the importance of unity, cultural and belief, importance of respects toward each

other’s religion and peace and harmony country. If all this thing being highlighted in the

subject, I believe that unity can be achieve in a short time period. This is because all of

us know that unity is a process of forming a national identity among various groups that

have differences in beliefs, cultures, customs, politics, social, economic functions and

location into a political entity. In other words, national unity is a process to unite various

groups that have different social and cultural background into one physical entity.

6.0 Conclusion

Ministry of Education of Malaysia has put a very big effort in bringing unity to be

inculcate since the early year of schooling start from primary school. The government

trust that the unity among different ethnic and races in Malaysia can be achieve start

from the roots and it is believe that the root is education. The government has put the

responsibility on the shoulder of Ministry of Education to educate and inculcate unity

among pupils in Malaysia. A lot of program being organized and implemented to make

sure that unity can be achieved start from the root which is from the education system.

Teacher hold a big responsible to make sure that unity in Malaysia become a success

so that the feelings of racism and discrimination can be erased.

In the Malaysia Education Blueprint also state in the 9 shift for education and

most of them is to unite all Malaysia people as Malaysian. These five aspirations not

only to fulfill the needs of country in education but also to change the attitude, behavior

and thinking style so that the people of Malaysia can achieve the human capital that had

been dreaming by every country in the world to form the highest standard of civilization.

Teacher play a very important role to fulfil the needs of this aspiration so that it can be

achieve and become reality.

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Students will be bonded together through the learning process and treat all the

people as the same as one. The elimination of negative feelings towards different races

and ethnics can happen if this kind of system can be implemented. Unity and National

integration is not about only living in the same country but also share the same identity

and form a national identity.

Ministry of Education with the help of teachers throughout Malaysia is

responsible in forming a national identity among various groups that have differences in

beliefs, cultures, customs, politics, social, economic functions and location into a

political entity. In other words, national unity is a process to unite various groups that

have different social and cultural background into one physical entity. Unity is an

important part in a multiracial country that can bring to peace and harmony. Let us

people try to uphold and defend this unity and bring it to a better standard so that we

Malaysian can live in a multiracial country with peace and harmony.

Reflection

Teacher and current challenges is a compulsory subject for me in this final

semester. This subject had bring us to go deeper into the professionalism and current

challenges face by the teachers in Malaysia and throughout the world nowadays. A lot

of thanks to Dr. Balakrishnan Govinthasamy my EDU 3093i lecturer for guiding me to go

through this assignment within short period of time. A lot of knowledge and information

being gathered from Dr. Balakrishnan Govinthasamy class and it help me a lot in

completing this task.

This assignment require us to study about the five aspiration from the Malaysia

Education Blueprint. From there, I can see that there is a lot of effort being made by the

Ministry of Education to develop the system of education in Malaysia. The assignment

require us to go deeper into the importance of unity in a multiracial country such a

Malaysia. There are a lot of challenges in bringing unity into a multiracial country like

Malaysia.

The government has put the responsibility on the shoulder of Ministry of

Education to educate and inculcate unity among pupils in Malaysia. A lot of program

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being organized and implemented to make sure that unity can be achieved start from

the root which is from the education system. Teacher hold a big responsible to make

sure that unity in Malaysia become a success so that the feelings of racism and

discrimination can be erased

During completing this assignment, a lot of challenges had occurred in the

process of completing it. For me, the time given for us in completing this assignment is

too short. However, I feel lucky that I was able to complete it within the time given. It

had taught me the importance of time management and patience while doing it. Thanks

to my lecturer for her encouragement to our class and she also said that it is possible to

complete it as long as we focus in doing the assignment. The time given is short

because of the change that have been made by the IPGM towards our January 2012

Intake program to settle all the works before 27 th September 2015. Even though this

event made us feel tired compared to the previous year, but we feel bless as we were

able to go through this kind of challenges with positive effort and inculcate a lot of

values in ourselves such as patience and importance of time management.

The second challenge while completing this task is the reading resource is too

limited for us to find and read. Luckily, the Malaysia Education Blueprint contain a lot of

information that help me to gather knowledge and ideas to write this academic writing. I

also manage to read a few resources consist of articles and journals and it helps me a

lot to fill the academic writing with useful information. With the extra reading, it also has

given me extra general knowledge about the real situation, event and incident that

happen in Malaysia. Knowledge about unity, national integration and the Malaysia

Education Blueprint 2013-2025 also had been gathered by me. After this, if other person

ask me about all this thing, I will be able to talk about it without hesitation.

The power of knowledge is very strong as it can change the rule of a country and

the world. I fell bless as this assignment have given me a lot of extra knowledge and

information for myself. Then, I find it is a bit confusing for me to understand the five

aspirations of the Malaysia education and I wonder whether it can be implemented with

success or not due to the political situation in Malaysia. For example, the Ministry of

education has allocate RM36 billion to improve all aspects in Malaysia Education

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including the system and facilities. But, for me the period given that is only 12 years

start from 2013 to 2025 is the short and with the development now in 2015. I cannot see

the changes, development and improvement due to the political situation but I still hope

that the dream can be fulfil because as a teacher, I must put my trust to our leaders to

achieve this dream.

Next, as a final semester trainee teacher I find it hard for me to cope with all the

sudden changes made by the current leaders. For example, the time given is short

because of the changes made by the IPGM. There is a lot more to come and expect

from us if the time given for us in this IPG KTHO is longer. But, I always feel positive

with the changes as I think that the leaders see what is best for us the teacher trainee.

All the changes maybe for the development of education in Malaysia and with this event

I feel that I am ready to be posted to any area in Malaysia because it has given me

strength to face whatever challenges that possibly happen to me.

This assignment highlighted on the importance of unity in education for the sake

of peace and harmony in a multiracial country like Malaysia. Unity is a simple things to

be pronounce in words but very hard to implement it in a country that consist of various

races and ethnic groups. There are a lot of challenges in making this dream happen.

Teacher hold a big responsible to make sure that unity in Malaysia become a success

so that the feelings of racism and discrimination can be erased.

Lastly, I want to express a lot of thanks to all the person and individual that

involve in helping me completing this task. Thanks to my lecturer, Dr. Balakrishnan

Govinthasamy for guiding and help me to go through all the challenges in this semester

and during the making of this task. I would like to advise myself and my other trainee

teacher friends that we hold the responsibility and key to bring the education system to

a higher standard and the future of the children in Malaysia. The children will become

the leader in the upcoming years and we are responsible to educate and inculcate them

with good values for them to prepare and embrace the future world.

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References2013, M. E. (2013). Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025. Putrajaya: Ministry of Education.

ARUNA, P. (2013, September 1 Sunday). Retrieved from The Star Online: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/09/01/Boosting-education-to-higher-levels/

Bello, M. (2012). FEDERAL CHARACTER AS A RECIPE FOR NATIONAL. International Journal of Politics and Good Governance, 5.

Bernama. (2013, December 11 Wednesday). Retrieved from The MalayMail Online: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/malaysia-capable-of-improving-position-in-pisa-2015-through-implementation

Education, M. o. (2013). Malaysia Education Blueprint. Putrajaya: Ministry of Education.

Khader, D. F. (2012). The Malaysian Experience in Developing National Identity, Multicultural Tolerance and Understanding through Teaching Curricula: Lessons Learned and Possible Applications in the Jordanian Context. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 272.

Lee, W. C. (2013). NATIONAL UNITY AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL:. European Scientific Journal.

Muzaffar, D. (2013, October 15). Retrieved from New Straits Times: http://www2.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/fostering-unity-key-role-of-school-plan-1.376070

Ruslan, D. N. (2006). NATIONAL INTEGRATION IN VISION SCHOOL: TOWARDS „1 MALAYSIA‟?

Yin, P. Y. (2006). ASSESSING THE LEVEL OF UNiTY AND INTEGRATION IN MALAYSIA USING THE SYSTEM DYNAMICS SIMULATION MODEL. 3.

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EDU 3093I