KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Along with the passage of time, there needs to be a paradigm shift in ways to inculcate the spirit of patriotism among the younger generation, such as by applying the edutainment method in early childhood education.
Principal Fellow at the Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Prof Datuk Dr Teo Kok Seong, said the ‘fun learning’ method not only makes it easier for children at a tender age to understand what is being taught but also gives them a new learning experience.
He said instilling the spirit of nationalism cannot be the responsibility of parents alone but should also be given emphasis in formal education at childcare centres, kindergartens and preschools.
“We want to educate children, but it needs to be simplified and done in a more interactive and fun way. For example, by re-enacting stories about the struggle of past heroes against the colonialists.
“This means that teachers at childcare centres, kindergartens or pre-schools need to be more innovative and creative in teaching national subjects in order to attract children’s interest and attention,” he told Bernama.
Teo said inculcating the high spirit of patriotism, such as feeling proud to be a Malaysian citizen, is important so that it becomes ingrained in children’s souls and be their guiding principles in life later on.
“If we want to compare with Thailand and Indonesia, we (Malaysia) are still far behind in highlighting the value of patriotism that should be appreciated by all levels of society.
“Therefore, we must delve into why this situation occurs and identify the cause. Our efforts are still insufficient due to the lack of appreciation of patriotism among young people,” he said.
Sharing the same sentiment was Islamic Kindergarten Association of Malaysia (Pertim) vice-chairman Zaharah Awang, who believes that early exposure to patriotism will allow young people to appreciate their own country better.
“Sometimes, without realising it, we are too busy praising the greatness of other nations even though the older generation always reminded us of the advantages of our own country. As the Malay proverb says, ‘hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri’, we should love our country more.
“We should be grateful for all the blessings we have received today due to the hard work and sacrifices of past heroes who fought for the country’s independence,” she said.
Commenting on the edutainment approach, Zaharah said this was done through organising the Kids Parade for the past five years in conjunction with the National Day celebration.
Not only that, Pertim also encourages almost 800 registered kindergartens under it to organise various activities such as colouring the Jalur Gemilang, dressing up as national figures or members of uniformed bodies, and showing stories of freedom fighters.
“We also give these children the opportunity to taste food such as boiled tapioca and bananas to help them feel and better understand the life situation before independence,” she said.
Meanwhile, a mother of three, Efarhana Adenan, 36, said the edutainment method was proven to make learning fun for her youngest child, especially when it involves heavy subjects such as independence.
“This suits the nature of children who like to play. If we use a conventional method, the children may find it difficult to understand what is being taught, and the appreciation of patriotism may not be achieved,” she said.
