Classrooms To Display Portraits Of Nation's Leaders. Patriotic, Or Wasteful?

A Fifth Former at a school in Kuala Lumpur said students would not be patriotic through the display of leaders in the classrooms.

“It is better to encourage students to love the country through other activities,” she said.

Another student in Petaling Jaya believes that patriotism should not be force-fed to students.

“Patriotism is love for your country, not your political leaders,” she said.

An Education Ministry official said state education directors had received a verbal direc­tive from the ministry to encourage schools to display these portraits in the classrooms.

“Although it’s not compulsory to display the portraits in the classrooms, the schools are encouraged to do so because many students do not know who the heads of states and leaders are,” said the official.

Selangor Education Department director Datuk Mahmud Karim denied issuing such a directive to schools through circulars or text messages. “Schools do not have to fork out money to purchase the portraits as school heads can get them free from the Information Depart­ment.”

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“Portraits of the King, the state Ruler, the Prime Minister and the Education Minister are usually hung in the offices of the school and the activity rooms so that students know who the leaders are. This is important because love and respect for our King is enshrined in the Rukun Negara,” said Mahmud yesterday.

A check by The Star in Pakatan-led states, however, showed that portraits of the King, the state Ruler, the Prime Minister and the head of the state government were usually displayed in the administration offices of the schools.

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Students in Penang and Selangor confirmed that portraits of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim were displayed prominently in the administration offices of their schools.

Putrajaya has quietly told all schools to display the portraits of federal and state leaders in classrooms to instil patriotism, but those in Pakatan Rakyat-run (PR) states can only put up pictures of the state ruler or governor.

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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the deputy prime minister, are from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government while their foes PR rule Kelantan, Penang and Selangor.

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The Malaysian Insider learnt that a circular from the Education Ministry has been sent via the WhatsApp message platform or by visiting district education officers, saying schools are “encouraged” to put up photos of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Raja Permaisuri Agong, prime minister, education minister and menteri besar or chief minister.

A quick check by The Malaysian Insider revealed that some schools in Penang and Selangor have the portraits in some classrooms and along corridors.

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The director also added that in PR states, the state education department has the option of applying to the ministry to include the photo of its menteri besar or chief minister to be placed in classrooms.

Penang education department director Datuk Ahmad Tarmizi Kamaruddin told The Malaysian Insider that the pictures would help students know their national leaders and this was in line with their civics and citizenship lessons.

"The only issue that may come up is the cost of putting up the pictures in every classroom. If we have the funds, we can ask for official portraits to be framed.

"But it is good enough for now if teachers use cut-outs from newspapers and put them up on the notice boards in their classrooms to help pupils recognise the monarch and leaders," Ahmad Tarmizi said.

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National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) president Hashim Adnan agreed that the portraits would help instil patriotism and increase awareness among pupils.

“South Korea has been doing it. It is good to inculcate this kind of knowledge in our children,” he said, but expressed uncertainty over the supply of pictures.

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According to Hashim, suppliers have already approached some schools offering a RM10 package that includes all five portraits. Schools would have to fork out several hundred ringgit on portraits alone.

Sarawak Teachers' Union president Jisin Nyud welcomed the idea but questioned the feasibility of implementing this in a rural state. “But who is going to pay for the purchase and cost of sending these photos to schools in rural areas?”

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“If there is such a directive, then the government should consider footing the cost of sending these photos to the rural schools.”

“Since this is not compulsory, if the school does not have enough funds for it, they should not be forced to do it,” he said.

But education advocacy movement Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim disagreed with the move, saying the ministry should know its priorities.

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“The Education Ministry was given a large allocation and they should put it to good use and focus on teacher training, which was what they highlighted in the national education blueprint,” she said.

Noor Azimah also disagreed it would help instil patriotism in schoolchildren.

“This is not necessary. The portraits are already in school halls, administration and teacher’s offices.

“The root of the problem of our education system is the quality of teachers. So let’s spend the money wisely.”

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