AN online petition was launched today to urge the government to keep conflicts, particularly those in the Middle East, as well as racial and religious tensions out of schools.

The petition initiated by the Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF) under the banner “Save Our Education System”, has gained 657 signatures since it went online this morning. 

The protest comes ahead of Palestine Solidarity Week starting tomorrow in goverment education institutions.

“Our schools and educational institutions are meant to be neutral grounds, emphasising quality education rooted in human rights and celebrating diversity.

“We are concerned about involving schoolchildren in the grown-up world of protests, the Middle East crisis, and international conflicts and war,” GHRF president S. Shashi Kumar told The Malaysian Insight.

The petition is endorsed by 21 civil society groups nationwide.

Earlier this week, the Education Ministry announced the launch of Palestine Solidarity Week from October 29 to November 3 in all government schools and teacher training institutes.

However, disturbing video clips surfaced on social media yesterday showing people who appeared to be teachers and students wearing bulletproof vests, balaclavas, and brandishing toy rifles.

Shashi criticised the government for initiating such a programme, saying it could mislead young minds.

“We have seen how a particular school in Malaysia, very recently, made its young students stomp on an Israeli flag. 

“Then on October 27, we saw shocking images of primary school students carrying toy machine guns, and donning headbands and the black and white ‘Palestinian scarf’ allegedly linked to the Education Ministry’s Palestine Solidarity Week in schools. 

“Another video of a similar programme at a school went viral on social media. It shows a procession of adults, possibly teachers, showing solidarity with Palestine, with some carrying toy machine guns and marching in a school hall with students watching them. 

“Another video emerged of a school in Kedah showing an adult using a bow and arrow to shoot at an Israeli flag and then burning it down amid loud chants as the entire school watched,” he said. 

Shashi said this showed the misalignment of sentiment, hatred and prejudice by zealous teachers.

“Parents send their children to national schools not only for academic progress but also for mental and social balance (where they can) learn and interact with pupils of other races and faiths. 

“School is a place for the instilling of moral ethics and values that enrich a multiracial, multicultural and multi-religious Malaysian society,” he said. 

Shashi said the Education Ministry should take responsibility for the school activities, which have became a national concern. 

“The Education Ministry is avoiding the topic by saying the programmes in the viral videos were not during Palestine Solidarity Week. 

“But the implementation of such programmes in schools (will serve to) encourage such things to take place in schools. 

“We as concerned parents are worried for our children,” he said. 

The education minister has issued a statement to bar violent elements from Palestine Solidarity Week programmes.

Following the spread of the videos on social media, the Education Ministry said violent elements were prohibited in Palestine Solidarity Week programmes.

It said it would not condone activities that display extremism. – October 28, 2023.