Professional Documents
Culture Documents
9 Components (3)
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1. Discuss the core values in curriculum development; and
2. Examine the issues in implementing core values in curriculum
development.
INTRODUCTION
Curriculum development in Malaysian education has undergone countless
changes in keeping with the national development and globalisation needs and
demands while taking into consideration the core values that must be preserved,
that is, our Malaysian values. In general terms, core values refer to the
fundamental beliefs of a person or organisation. They are the guiding principles
that dictate behaviour and action, help people to identify what is right and
wrong, help organisations determine if they are on the right path in realising
their goals and create an unwavering and unchanging guide.
In the Malaysian educational context, all educational development at the national level
is envisioned and designed based on the National Education Philosophy (NEP). As
mentioned in earlier chapters, the NEP was formed in 1988 in line with the Rukun
Negara, with the ultimate aim of building a united and progressive society (Ministry
of Education Malaysia, 2001). The NEP helps to shape educational principles,
guidelines, assumptions and decisions with respect to teaching and learning,
intellectual and moral building as well as educational goals.
The Ministry of Education Malaysia (2001) has categorised elements of the NEP
into fifteen subgroups as stated in the National Education Philosophy, Goals
and Mission (Falsafah Pendidikan Kebangsaan, Matlamat dan Misi) as shown in
Figure 9.1.
Various changes made in the school curriculum are aligned with the objectives of
the NEP, for example, the KSSR (Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah), KBSR
(Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Rendah) and KBSM (Kurikulum Bersepadu
Sekolah Menengah). The values entrenched in teaching and learning styles as
well as the use of the Malay language in the KBSM are also linked with the NEP.
At the end of the 1970s, the need for the teaching of values was formally
acknowledged, and the Cabinet Committee Report recommended that the
Ministry of Education:
(a) Develop a curriculum for the teaching of values in the form of moral
education (as a subject) for non-Muslims students;
(b) The subject to be made mandatory and examinable; and
(c) To be taught at the same time when Muslim students are taught Islamic
Education or Pendidikan Islam.
A total of sixteen core values were approved as the primary content of the moral
education (refer to Table 9.1). These values were taken into consideration and
adopted for implementation in the KBSR and KBSM from a series of Asian
workshops sponsored by the National Institute of Education (NIER) Tokyo and
UNESCO, which undertook to discuss and identify core universally-accepted
values.
Table 9.1: Sixteen Core Values Integrated Into the Curriculum for Moral Education
These values, which are drawn from religions, traditions and customs of people
also relate to human relationships in everyday life, particularly relationships
with the family, peers, society as well as organisations.
The content for the moral education syllabus, incorporating the sixteen values,
was developed and implemented throughout the different levels of schooling
so as to continuously and consistently instil students with them. However, the
scope of approach and issues presented were made increasingly difficult and
complex each year in line with the students maturity and ability to think.
The teaching strategies used were also focused on daily living and everyday
occurrences in the life of the student, and presented in equal importance
and in relation to one another.
With the implementation of the syllabus for moral education, the Government
hoped to produce individuals of good character possessing good moral values,
who can make decisions, are responsible members of the society and are able to
cope with moral issues in the modern world.
ACTIVITY 9.1
Pick two core values from the list above and incorporate them into a
lesson plan for a subject other than moral education to highlight how
these values can be taught across the curriculum.
The teaching of values is not only emphasised in the curriculum through the
teaching of the Islamic education and Moral Education subjects, but also
integrated into the teaching of other subjects across the curriculum; as well as
through the teacher as a role model. However noble the aspiration and intention,
there are issues as to whether the teaching of values in moral education and
Islamic education, as well as the assimilation of values across the curriculum are
achieving their objectives.
Another cause for concern is the integration of values across the curriculum
approach. While it is true that every subject contains issues relating to values, the
extent of values education in these subjects has been found to be quite minimal.
Some teachers do not know what activities or strategies to use to integrate values
into their teaching, while others do not understand the complex nature of
values. In fact, these teachers are not specifically trained to carry out the role of
values educators and cannot deal with any issues relating to values that may
suddenly arise in their teaching subjects. At the same time, the teaching of their
own subject may be interrupted or suffer consequences if teachers have to take
time to impart or educate on a value.
Nowadays, schools across the country are equipped with ICT facilities that
embrace the knowledge, understanding and competency of information
technology. With the advent of this modern technology and the Internet, comes
the risk that students would be exposed to inappropriate or even harmful
content. Schools and teachers, therefore, have to ensure that students are firmly
rooted in the Malaysian context and instilled with Malaysian values.
ACTIVITY 9.2
Beside the issues discussed in this topic, can you think of other concerns
that have resulted from the implementation of values education in
schools?
The Ministry of Education has categorised elements of the NEP into fifteen
sub-groups as stated in the National Education Philosophy, Goals and
Mission (Falsafah Pendidikan Kebangsaan, Matlamat danMisi), which
includes:
Intellectual element;
Spiritual element;
Emotional element;
Physical element;
At the end of the 1970s, the Cabinet Committee Report recommended that the
Ministry of Education develop a mandatory and examinable curriculum for
the teaching of values in the form of moral education (as a subject) for non-
Muslims students; and for it to be taught at the same time when Muslim
students are taught Islamic Education or Pendidikan Islam.
A total of sixteen core values were approved as the primary content of the
moral education, taken into consideration and adopted for implementation in
the KBSR and KBSM from a series of Asian workshops sponsored by the
National Institute of Education (NIER) Tokyo and UNESCO, which
undertook to discuss and identify core values universally accepted.
The sixteen values were cleanliness of body and mind; compassion and
tolerance; cooperation; courage; moderation; diligence; freedom; gratitude;
honesty; humility and modesty; justice; rationality; self-reliance; love; respect;
and public spiritedness.
The values are drawn from different religions, traditions and customs of
people and also relate to human relationships in everyday life, particularly
relationships with the family, peers, society as well as organisations.
The content for the moral education syllabus was developed and implemented
throughout the different levels of schooling. The teaching strategies used were
focused on daily living and everyday occurrences in the life of the student, and
presented in equal importance and in relation to one another.
The underlying philosophy observed is that all religions agree on the same
things as good and evil; and more importance is given to similarities between
people than their differences. For an individual to be truly developed there
must be a balance in terms of the intellect, spirit, body as well as emotion,
which are based on values.
The teaching of values is integrated into the teaching of other subjects across
the curriculum as well as through the teacher as a role model.
Teachers are individuals, each with their own beliefs, attitudes and values
that are different from one another. In integrating values into their
teaching, teacher may inadvertently be influenced by their own beliefs
and not give the same emphasis to the values they are trying to impart.
With the advent of this modern technology and the Internet, comes the risk
that students would be exposed to inappropriate or even harmful contents.
Schools and teachers therefore, have to ensure that students are firmly rooted
in the Malaysian context and instilled with Malaysian values.