Kok Jia Xuan & Yap Sze Miin

Topic 7 Essay

PISMP TESL SEM 5

In Malaysia, we recognize that classroom has various backgrounds with varying needs. The
main goals of the action plan for creating culturally friendly environment are essential where
students are valued for their diverse culture, experience, knowledge and abilities. What
should the government do to create an action plan for implementing educational programs
for indigenous people? (20 marks)

In many ways, the education institution has the role of performing social reconstruction in
order to help everyone attaining social well-being in which everyone will have equal access
to all the basic human needs and able to coexist peacefully in communities. No one shall be
deprived of the opportunity for advancement. Mean while, plans and action to improve the
living condition and standard of the deprived groups is necessary so that the aim of
achieving social well-being can be realized. In the Malaysian context, the Government and
enacted laws and allocate funds in accordance to the need for the Indigenous, indigenous
people and those who live in the interior. The Non-Governmental Organization, too hand
contributed significantly to these effort.
The Indigenous, Indigenous and those residing in the interior are consider underperform
academically as compared to the other major ethnic groups and urban dwellers. The
government and many NGOs are channelling their time, financial support and human capital
trying to help them to advance to another level in academic, economic and social
development. The government had enacted the Aboriginal People Act 1954 Act 134
(Amendment 2006). It shows that Indigenous shouldnt be excluded in any school. Besides,
they should provide for the establishment of schools in aboriginal areas, aboriginal reserves
and aboriginal inhabited places and prescribing the curricula of the schools and the
qualifications of teachers in the schools.
In order to raise the interest of Indigenous children in education, the government has
increased the budget from RM3 million to RM 6 million to cater for the co-curricular activities,
food supplementary Programme (RMT) and cultural activities. The action plan that has been
implemented was successful and fruitful. For example: Indigenous students have achieved
8As in PMR examination in 2006 and nominated for Tokoh Maulidur Rasul in 2007. From this
statement, it shows that the quality life of the Indigenous has improved.
The government also focused on the drop outs group mainly consisting of youths and
parents who never attended school so that they are aware of the importance of education.
Skills training appropriate to their interests and abilities will be introduced so that they can
enter the labour market and get the job that suit with their abilities. For example, the women

Kok Jia Xuan & Yap Sze Miin

Topic 7 Essay

PISMP TESL SEM 5

adult group ate to undergo social programmes organized by the Indigenous Women
Activists.
The Ministry has make efforts to democratize the opportunity to provide quality education in
order to bridge the gap between the different cultural and socio-economic groups in the
country. This is in line with the core challenges of PIPP (teras 4) - bridging the education
gap. This purpose is to ensure that no student will be left behind in the currents of
educational development in the country. In the context of children's learning among the
indigenous, the Ministry of Education has redefined its priority to meet the needs of schools.
This is preventing designed to help children of indigenous from being left out of the
mainstream of education. The ministry of education provide good infrastructure facilities
such as best teaching and learning materials as the urban school. The teaching services
provided should be the same and equal to the urban school students.
In the conclusion, this essay deals with the ways and strategies to create a culturally friendly
environment for students in school with emphasis given to the indigenous people and the
people who are in the remote interiors of Malaysia. The Ministry of Education Malaysia has
outline various strategies to unite all Malaysian and one of the most important program
introduced is the Integration of students for unity plan (RIMUP) which comprises academic
and non academic activities. In schools, administrators and teachers have action plan to
create a more cultural-friendly environment for all students in order to reduce inequality of
educational opportunities among students. This awareness of culturally friendly environment
is important in producing human capitals that are holistic in all aspects.