01902

25 April 2002

STRENGTHENING RACIAL HARMONY IN SCHOOLS

1.        The Committee on Strengthening Racial Harmony in Schools chaired by Mr Hawazi Daipi, Parliamentary Secretary (Education), and comprising representatives from schools, parent support groups and the community met for the first time on Thursday 25 April 2002.

2.        While the Committee recognises that there are many activities in schools today, such as the co-curricular activities, that help to promote students' understanding of different cultures, the Committee will provide more guidance and support to schools to enhance their efforts. The Committee aims to broaden and deepen inter-racial understanding and mixing in schools through articulating desirable programmes and strategies, seeding initiatives and raising the profile of Racial Harmony activities such as the celebration of the Racial Harmony Day. The Committee will also consider how the impact of racial harmony initiatives in schools could be assessed.

3.        The Committee has come out with several preliminary ideas to deepen understanding and mixing. One way is to raise the profile of Racial Harmony Day (20 July) by organising an annual symbolic event for all schools to participate in. This year, the event will be known as the Racial Harmony Games Day, held to promote inter-racial interaction through enjoyable games. Another initiative is through the sharing of good practices of and useful resources from schools and external organisations.

4.        The Committee notes that external organisations such as Community Development Councils (CDCs) and Parent Support Groups (PSGs) have a key role to play in promoting racial harmony and suggests that schools leverage on these organisations to maximise efforts in promoting racial harmony.

5.        Mr Hawazi will be meeting community leaders, parents, teachers and principals in focus group discussions to gather their views on how to broaden and deepen inter-racial understanding and interaction.

6.        The Committee on Strengthening Racial Harmony in Schools was set up by the Ministry of Education to enhance inter-racial understanding and mixing in schools and organise activities to strengthen racial harmony in schools. The list of committee members is attached at Annex A.

Secretariat
Committee on Strengthening Racial Harmony in Schools