Fadhlina: Character education is more than teaching youths to be ‘good’

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 — Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek cautioned that character education should not simply aim to mold young people into 'good' individuals. In a Facebook post, Fadhlina highlighted her observations from the National Madani Youth Forum where young people were honing their ability to express their views, consider alternative perspectives, and engage in respectful debate.

"This is the character education we want to cultivate. It goes beyond instilling good behavior. We want them to communicate confidently, think critically, and remain courteous even when opinions diverge," said Fadhlina. She emphasized that character education should progress alongside initiatives to promote the Malay language, such as fostering more opportunities for young people to utilize it.

Fadhlina explained that the Malay language would gain strength when the upcoming generation perceives it as a language proficient in articulating their thoughts. "Our responsibility is not to dictate what they should say, but to guarantee that when they speak, they possess the expertise to present their arguments and the politeness to listen," Fadhlina stated.

She concluded by highlighting that a mature nation is not one where everyone maintains agreement, but one built by a generation that knows how to respectfully disagree.