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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright December 2020
When PH first came to power in 2018, the Education Minister then focused on colour of shoes rather than other problems of school students.
That created a huge uproar amongst the public that education ought to go beyond mere colour of shoes you have on your feet.
That reminded me of what Dr. Seuss said: "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go." - Oh! the Places you'll Go! By Dr. Seuss.
It was then decided that all students are allowed to choose whether to wear black or white shoes.
On the contrary, the newly elected PH education minister Fadhlina Sidek decided to focus on serious matters and have feet on the ground. She's on her own, she knows what she wants and it looks like she's the "guy" who'll decide which direction the ministry ought to go.
On Dec 15, Malay Mail reported that our new Education Minister "issued a stern warning that the government will not allow any sort of extremism and racism to infiltrate the country’s national education system."
She said that "the ministry wants to ensure that school children grow up in an inclusive and healthy environment and the focus will be on prioritising moral development as their core values."
"We do not compromise on issues, just as we do not compromise on bullying, gangsterism and so on including the issue of racism and extremism."
"It is our responsibility to ensure children are safe in schools and so, if there are any racial or extremist threats, we will not hesitate to take serious action and we will surely work with the relevant authorities to curb racism and extremism from happening in schools."
"We will not hesitate to take serious steps and certainly cooperate with the police to curb the symptoms of racism and extremism from continuing to occur in schools,” added the minister.
In the long run through this policy of inclusiveness, we may be able to weed out extremism and racism amongst children, thus sowing the seed of greater love among future Malaysian adults.
It's not too late to ask our school children to look back at what Dr. Seuss wrote and examine what he meant when he says "You have brains in your head."
Never mind what colour are your shoes. "You can steer yourself in any direction you choose." Because by the time you are a young adult "You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go."
And that's what education is all about to prepare the next generation for the betterment of our society.
Forget the colour of your shoes or skin colour of our fellow Malaysians.
For our shoes may be black or white but we are the same in the eyes of God.
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