NUR HUSNA BINTI KAMARULAFIAH

 

CAUSES OF RACISM AND HOW TO PREVENT IT

According to Oxford Dictionary, racism or also known as racial discrimination is an act of prejudice, discrimination or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. Malaysia, a well-known country is a multi-cultural , multi-racial and multi-religion country. This country always faces issues and cases relating to the word ‘Racism’ especially in education. There are myriads causes of racism and how to prevent it.

One of the causes is students are having fear of sharing power with other groups of people. This situation can be seen when the class leader is chosen. Some of them do not believe Indian and Chinese students should that position. Malay students believe they can not handle the workload. Because of this, they only put forward members of their flock. This issue can be taken by the educators. Since this scenario frequently occurs in schools, teachers have a crucial responsibility in helping students modify their perspectives and ways of thinking. The teachers can explain the repercussions of not wanting to share authority with others to the students. For instance, they will be hostile toward one another. This is said because students do not want to mix with or embrace any ideas from those around them, particularly those who are Indian and Chinese. Additionally, because they would not want to establish friends with people of other races, this will further hinder their ability to study.

Moreover, some students experience xenophobia which is the fear of people who are different. This phenomenon can be seen since they are at an early age, for example when they are in preschool. Because of their skin tone, some of them are hesitant to associate with Indians. Racism can occur for a variety of causes, one of them is this problem. In order to solve this issue, parents must assist children by offering guidance so that they are more receptive. Parents can take their children to public areas like playgrounds, for instance. The variety of people they will encounter here will give the children the social skills they need to get along with people of various racial and ethnic backgrounds. As a result, as kids attend school, they will progressively acclimate to their surroundings.

All in all, all stakeholders must work together to combat racism in the educational sector. This is true since it affects not only pupils but also teachers, institutions, and the neighborhood. As said , the boons need to be taken, the flaws need to be endured.

INNOCENT INDIAN BOY

Aditya, a young Indian boy who is extremely gregarious is a Mathematics and English prodigy. He eventually emerged as the school’s brightest student. Due to his positive outlook and propensity for smiling at people, this 11-year-old boy enjoys great popularity among his peers. He likes attending that school since it enrolls students of different culture, religions, and races. 

On a scorching day , Aditya felt incredibly perplexed and puzzled after he got home from school. He examined the faces of his family while putting his school bag on the sofa . They were all gloomy. “Why is everyone so quiet? What exactly happened , mama? asked Aditya.  

Mrs. Puva passed a white paper to Aditya and explained that they had to move to the suburban because of Mr. Ramesh’s work.The day Aditya’s family moved into a new atmosphere , all the neighborhood welcomed them. "How am I going to handle all of this? I miss my schoolmates. Will the new school be enjoyable?” pondered Aditya while sitting on a seat outside.

The next day, Aditya wore a complete set of school uniform and introduced himself in front of his new classmates.The fact that there were mostly Malay students in the class made him quite anxious. He fears that they would ignore him. He was instructed to take a seat between Raja and Khairul. All of a sudden, Aditya had experienced his greatest fear. They ignored him when it was break time, leaving him alone himself. Because he is Indian, they don't want to be friends with him and even downgraded him.

After the midterm exam, Raja and Khairul received failing grades in English and Mathematics. They were extremely envious of Aditya's achievement. Khairul was upset and believed Aditya had cheated on the test. Because his classmates believed he had cheated on examinations, Aditya frequently received offensive remarks from them. One day, Aditya was able to solve math problems on the spot while studying Mathematics. He inspired awe in everyone.

Raja and Khairul attempted to get close to Aditya after the incident and started believing in him. In addition to teaching them math and English, Aditya forgave them. When they were able to pass both topics on the year-end exam, Raja and Khairul felt accomplished. Despite the several times they had mistreated him, they expressed gratitude to Aditya for being so willing to teach them. After school was over, Raja and Khairul came to the conclusion that they ought to treat everyone equally, regardless of race. Due to Aditya's presence, they are now top pupils at the school.

References : 

Jain, S., Kidd, D., & Felvus, M. (2013, August 10). Racial Discrimination. SlideShare.

https://www.slideshare.net/ajmerasahil/racial-discrimination-25118976

Racial Discrimination in Malaysia. (2021, September 21). UK Essays. 

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/history/malaysia-a-multi-racial-cultural-and-religion-country-hi

story-essay.php

Reducing the Effects of Racism in Schools. (n.d.). ASCD.

https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/reducing-the-effects-of-racism-in-schools