Statement Released by Dong Zong

September 5, 2018

Statement Jointly Made by Ten Chinese Associations on Vernacular

School History Subject

 

A. Foreword

 

Under the MOE directive, the KBSR (New Primary Curriculum Standards) was replaced by KSSR (Primary School Curriculum Standards) since 2011. In the KSSR, the History subject was accorded a core subject for the Second stage (Grade 4 to 6) and this measure was put into practice in 2014 and would be rolled forward to Grade Five and Six successively.

 

Malaysia is a multi-racial, multi-linguistic, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation. Under this inherence, it is imperative for all vernacular school students to know about the history of the country, particularly how the races strove for independence and worked cohesively for the advancement of the country; all these are helpful in nurturing the spirit of mutual understanding, respect and concerted corporation for harmonious integration and national unity.

 

Unfortunately, immediately after the release of the History coursebook for primary schools, many deficiencies were noted and they generated disputes and controversies. The major problems among them are that the contents of the coursebooks are way too unitary and partial which discord the country’s plurality as well as reality and thus authenticity is not taught to students and learned comprehensively. As the whole gamut of the reality is not imparted in History subject, students will be misled and in long term it is harmful towards national unity and harmonious integration.

 

Moreover, since the History coursebooks used for all vernacular schools are translated versions from Bahasa Melayu, the stories and quotations were merely daily cases of a particular race (ethnic Malay). Moreover, they are irrelevant to Chinese students and do not reflect the truth of racial integration. In matters of teaching and learning, they are perplexing and not in consonant with the educational needs of Chinese students at large.

 

Due to the severity of the matter, ever since the use of the said History coursebook from 2014 onwards, Jiao Zong and the Malaysia Chinese Language Council had consulted academics to scrutinise the coursebooks and reflect the problems found through accessible channels to the MOE for reviews and amendments. To our regret, notwithstanding the reflections submitted, only technical errors such as translation, illustration and syntax related matters were rectified but not the core problem of unitary mindset and partial values embedded.

 

Having known that the MOE is currently reviewing and amending the History coursebooks for vernacular schools, and proposes to release the amended coursebooks for Grade Four, Five and Six in 2020, 2021 and 2022 successively, ten associations from the Chinese communities including Jiao Zong, the Malaysia Chinese Language Council, Dong Zong, the Chinese Assembly Hall, the Federation of Alumni Associations of Taiwan Universities (Malaysia), Lim Lian Geok Foundation, the Association of Graduates from the Universities and Colleges in China (Malaysia),  the United Chinese School Alumni Association of Malaysia, Centre for Malaysian Chinese Studies and Merdeka University Berhad, together with historians at large unanimously deemed it necessary to forward a memorandum for a conscientious consideration. In this memorandum, recommendation for amendment in curriculum standards will be raised hoping that the to-be-rectified contents are amenable to historical truth for the sole objectives of historical education.

 

B. Problems Found in Vernacular School History Coursebooks

 

1. Over simplified and defy the multi-racial, multi-linguistic and multi-cultural reality

Notwithstanding that the core value of the History coursebooks is oriented towards moral practice, patriotism, civic elements and civic awareness to help students learn about the plurality of our country for later build-up of patriotism while nurturing unity, friendliness and democratic spirit, in the published coursebooks, the above core elements as societal reality were not incorporated impartially.

 

To take the Grade Four coursebook for example, in the unit Topic One: Future Learning, the illustrations for individuals, family, school, living context as well as learning context are entirely the Malay’s. As it does not present the reality of the country, it cannot reflect the multiplicity and plurality of the country. As such, we believe units such as this will impart wrong concepts and do not reflect the truth and thus demand rectification and amendment.

 

Apart from that, in the unit Topic One: Our Heritage in Grade Five coursebook, the heritage of the country is focused on Islam and Bahasa Melayu which are originated from the Malacca Sultanate. This definition is incorrect as long before the rise of the Malacca Sultanate and the entry of Islam into Malaysia, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sanskrit had played seminal role in our composite culture, religion and language. Hinduism, Buddhism and Sanskrit not only enrich our multiplicity and plurality but also are our precious heritage.

 

We believe, for the authentic historical knowledge of the country, the coursebooks should not intentionally downplay and efface these historical truths, rather, keep them as they are. In matters of religions and faiths, anything missing out will end up partial learning thus other than the contents of Islam and Bahasa Melayu, “other major religions and faith” as well as “the use and learning of mother tongue” should not be neglected. With the reality of races and coexistence at play, students will learn mutual respect and friendly corporation subsequently.

 

2. Part of the contents are irrelevant to history

 

One of the objectives of history learning is to help students grasp and learn historical knowledge, but the extant History coursebooks are essentially not genuine history as some parts of the contents deviated from historical knowledge and mingled with too much civic education and moral education values and elements; this confuses the primary students’ cognition.

 

For instance, in Grade Four coursebook, irrelevant topics such as “time appreciation”, “know about oneself”, “my core family”, “how to address our family members”, “happy family”, “the importance of environment” and “ideal environment” are presented. Meticulously, these topics are morally inclined and have been included in the contents of Moral Education and therefore redundant.

 

Further, the units Topic Seven: Achievement in Sports and Topic Eight: Economical Activities in Grade Six coursebook are in nature irrelevant to history and thus should be omitted.

 

3. Biased and selective in compilation and redaction

 

Primary school History coursebooks need to be compiled and redacted in accordance with the reality of the country which includes the assurance and glorification of devotions made by all ethnic groups since the birth of the nation but not subjective and prejudicial comments or arbitrary orientation in favour of anyone race. The deficiency and inappropriateness will result in partial historical knowledge learning which is detrimental to national unity and harmonious integration.

 

Grade Four Topic Five: Prominent Figures in the Malacca Sultanate has four units relevant to the Malacca Sultanate. Though it occupies one third of the Grade Four coursebook, only Parameswara, Tun Perak and Hang Tuah are dwelled into. That made the rest of the other historical figures and events untouched: such as the achievement of Sultan Mansur, the relationship between Malacca sultanate and the Ming dynasty as well as the maritime expeditions of Zheng He (to Malacca), etc.

 

In addition to this, Topic Four: Early Malay Sultanate in Grade Four History coursebook also deliberately downplays the influence of Indian civilisation towards the earlier Malay sultanates.

 

The purpose of Topic Two: The Struggle for Independence in Grade Five textbook is to inform how the great figures of the nation struggled and strove for independence from the colonisers so as to nurture and enlighten civic awareness and patriotism. But surprisingly, its contents focus merely on the resistance of the British colonisation and there is not a word on how all ethnic groups resisted the Japanese invasion.

 

History coursebook, we believe, needs to record the devotions of all ethnic groups authentically. Untrue descriptions, if done intentionally, will instill incorrect values towards students and result in incorrect historical views. Eventually, unnecessary conflicts, suspicions and doubts will be generated, worse still, it will pose harm to social unity and national integration.

 

4. Errors in contents, grammar, wording and resource use

There are some historical errors made in the History coursebook for vernacular schools needed to be rectified accordingly. Since the Chinese version is directly translated from the original Malay text, there are plenty of errors in grammar and wording which bring about confusion in teaching and learning.

 

Take for instance, in Topic Five: Prominent Figures in the Malacca Sultanate of Grade Four coursebook, the illustration of Chinese merchants doing business in Malacca Sultanate are presented incorrectly: the dress code of Qing dynasty was used for Ming dynasty. We take it a serious mistake as it misleads students conceptually.

 

Other than this, in Grade Five coursebook, the national flag for Burma presented is an abandoned one; Portuguese (1511 to 1641) is mistakenly reported to colonise for the sake of spice monopoly and the dissemination of “Christianity” rather than spice monopoly and the dissemination of “Catholic”.

 

The errors found in the said coursebooks indicate one of imprudence in the course of redaction and compilation and that inevitably ensues doubts and confusion. That said, if anything needs to be done to regain trust, that would be the MOE’s determination to confront the problem and readiness to review and avoid the recommittal of similar errors.

 

C. Recommendations and Wishes

The following recommendations and wishes are forwarded to the MOE for serious consideration not only to simply look into them but also rectify the mentioned errors and mistakes found in vernacular school History coursebooks:

 

1. Review the contents and curriculum standards of History coursebook

Both the curriculum standards and coursebook of History as a subject need to correspond with the objectives of historical education and be relevant to all vernacular schools to ensure the dissemination of complete and correct concept of our country’s history. Simply put, the MOE should review the curriculum standards and coursebooks of vernacular schools from the aspect of education and historical profession as well as history per se, including the realisation of multiplicity and plurality.

History as an individual subject should reflect our country’s multiracial, multicultural and multi religious reality. On that score, to attune with the reality, the existing unitary oriented contents which emphasise merely any one ethnic group need to be adjusted and rectified. Besides, sections which are irrelevant to history learning should be avoided.

 

Our recommendations are thus as follows:

a. Early Malay sultanate was profoundly influenced by the Indian culture in religion, scripts and festivals. Therefore, for reality restoration, the Indian cultural elements engrained in the sultanate should be restored in Topic Four: Early Malay Sultanate.

b. Likewise, Topic Six: Our Cultural Heritage in Grade Five History coursebook, supplementary contents like “constitutional monarchy”, “other major religions and faiths” as well as “Mother tongue use and learning” need to be included.

 

Original Thematic Elements	Recommended Amendment
i.   Monarchy	Monarchy and Constitutional Monarchy
ii.   Islam	Islam and other Major Religions and Faiths
iii.  Bahasa Melayu	Bahasa Melayu and other Mother Tongues

 

Moreover, the damages and fatalities brought in by the Japanese occupation and brave resistance against the Japanese rendered by all ethnic groups when our nation was resisting colonisation need to be added into Topic Seven: National sovereignty of Grade Five coursebook.

c. The athletic achievement and economical activities found in Topic Twelve: Our Achievement and Kudos in Grade Six coursebook are irrelevant to history and thus they are recommended to be deleted accordingly.

 

2. Inviting historians from different ethnic groups, representatives of associations and vernacular schools to form “Vernacular Schools History Curriculum Standards and Coursebook Committee”

We herewith appeal the MOE to form a “Vernacular Schools History Curriculum Standards and Coursebook Committee” comprising historians from different ethnic groups, representatives of associations and vernacular schools. It is for mooting engagement in the above matter to seek constructive views for consummate curriculum standards and coursebooks so that students can really grasp history knowledge and command learning.

 

3. “One Curriculum Diverse Coursebooks” approach for primary History coursebooks

For the time being, the History coursebooks used in vernacular schools are published by the Malaysian Institute of Language and Literature (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Malaysia). Of which, the Malay version is the original version thus History coursebooks used in national-type Chinese or Tamil primary schools are unmodified translated versions including their illustrations. Since the vernacular schools have their own characteristics and needs, using the same coursebooks., viz., unmodified translated version, is inappropriate.

 

In matters of coursebooks used in vernacular schools, including Mathematics, Science, Moral Education and other subjects, the general practice is to assign out-source publishers to compile and redact based on the curriculum standards issued by the MOE. These coursebooks are not translated directly from Bahasa Melayu for the interests and genuine needs of the vernacular schools. As all these coursebooks are compiled and redacted separately based on the unified curriculum standards, students verily learn and acquire the same knowledge and values which conform the demand of the MOE.

 

In light of this, we suggest that the MOE should allow the History coursebooks to-be-used in vernacular schools to follow suit., that is, allow them to be compiled and redacted separately based on the unified curriculum standards. The MOE can then assess and appraise the published coursebooks for suitability and appropriateness.

 

D. Conclusion

 

The many deficiencies revealed in the History coursebooks currently used in vernacular schools reflect they cannot in any way disseminate correct historical view to our next generations but also are seriously misleading. These disastrous outcomes, we believe, were not anticipated by the MOE for the objectives of mutual understanding and friendly unity among the ethnic groups in the country.

 

Correspondingly, a memorandum will be furnished shortly to the MOE to appeal for serious attention to the many doubts and problems generated from the History coursebooks used currently in vernacular schools. We earnestly hope the MOE will see to it and make successive amendment to ensure the contents taught in the coursebooks accord with historical truth, in particular the embodiment of multiracial, multi-linguistic and multi-cultural elements.