Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek stresses that education should not merely teach children to be well-behaved, but also give them the confidence to speak up, think critically and disagree respectfully.
She said character education should equip students to articulate their views, challenge opposing opinions and defend their positions without compromising courtesy.
“Character education is not just about teaching children to be good. We want them to be brave to speak up, think critically and remain respectful when they have differing views.
“This is the kind of character education we want to nurture,” she said in a Facebook post after attending the national-level Madani Youth Forum.
Fadhlina added the forum demonstrated the ways in which young people could build confidence in using Bahasa Melayu while developing their ability to argue and engage with differing views.
She said the students were articulate and composed, able to build arguments and challenge their opponents without losing their sense of courtesy.
“What happened on stage was much bigger than a competition. These children were learning how to think before they speak, organise their thoughts, state their positions, listen to different views and defend their arguments,” she said.
Fadhlina said efforts to uphold Bahasa Melayu should be emphasised by giving young people more opportunities to use the language, rather than merely asking them to love it.
She said a mature nation was not built by a generation that agreed on everything, but by one that knew how to disagree constructively.
“Our task is not to determine what they should say. Our task is to ensure that when it is their turn to speak, they have the knowledge to argue and the courtesy to listen,” she said.
Source: NST
