Concerns have sparked regarding what schools in Singapore are teaching students about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Some have expressed gripes on social media that stem particularly from the Ministry of Education’s supposed stance of neutrality.
Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip on March 4, 2024.They are not intended to be history lessons, he said, nor are they meant to ascribe who is right or wrong at which period of history.
Foreign wars can and often do place people of different communities at loggerheads with one another. Effects of the conflict have rippled across the globe with many developing and sharing strong, sometimes visceral opinions on the matter. Opposing experiences and perspectives should not supersede the reality of being in Singapore — a diverse society where the desire of the overwhelming majority is to maintain social harmony and not replicate the kinds of conflicts found elsewhere.
Much of the debates and discussions have shown a tendency to veer into other polarising topics, including global geopolitics or the cementing of one’s identity markers. The validity of one narrative does not detract from the other — indeed, the protraction of the conflict boils down to a consistent failure on both sides to recognise the legitimacy of each other’s historical narrative.
We can thus have some confidence that strong, polarised views can be modified. However, this will require that each of us make the effort to confront ourselves and be open and willing to listen to differing views and perspectives. The risk that these conversations can go wrong cannot be understated. If not facilitated well, students may end up scarred and unwilling to discuss these issues entirely.The question, as some parents have espoused, then remains: Should we do away entirely with endeavours to educate students on such difficult topics?
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