PUTRAJAYA: All educational institutions under Malaysia’s Ministry of Education (MOE) will be holding a Palestine Solidarity Week from Sunday (Oct 29) to Nov 3, in response to the government’s stance of standing together to defend the rights and freedom of the Palestinian people.
The MOE said the programme will be held in schools, vocational and matriculation colleges, as well as teacher education institutes across the country.
“It is to educate students about humane values that also include human rights and compassion. This includes empathy and concern for the suffering borne by others regardless of race, religion or social status,” the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
Various activities have been lined up for the week and will be implemented in accordance with existing guidelines for the schools and students involved. Islamic religious activities, however, will only involve Muslim students.
The ministry said the intervention is necessary to enlighten students about international conflicts and humanitarian crises, given that the advancement of media and communication technology today exposes students to various types of content.
“The Palestine Solidarity Week is a continuation of the inculcation of noble values based on respect, compassion, responsibility and joy as contained in civic education in schools,” it said, adding that through the programme, students will also be exposed to cross-curricular elements, especially those related to global sustainability.
On Tuesday, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, together with more than 16,000 people, turned up at a rally in a show of support for the Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that has claimed thousands of lives.
Malaysia has also urged the United Nations Security Council to call on all parties to cease acts of violence amid clashes between Israel and Hamas in and around the Gaza Strip, which began after Hamas stormed into Israel on Oct 7.
Source: CNA
