JULY 25 — It is an undeniable fact that a school’s arrangement to make students eat in changing rooms is unfair and unreasonable, regardless of whatever the reason.

Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Pristana in Sungai Buloh headmaster Mohamad Nasir Mohamad Noor explained that the changing rooms were turned into dining areas for students since March as the canteen could not accommodate all students.

The explanation is doubtful. If the canteen could not accommodate all students, 500 for the morning session and 600 for the afternoon session, then why the changing rooms with smaller space were chosen? How are they going to accommodate a few hundred students? The canteen should be larger than the changing rooms and it should not be a problem for students to eat standing outside the canteen.

Why didn’t the school let students eat in vacant rooms or the hall? There were shower stalls in the changing rooms and there was a toilet next door. The environment was unsanitary and smelly. If the changing rooms are turned into a long-term dining area for school administration staff members, could they endure it?

The school also claimed that the canteen was closed since last week for minor renovation but reporters on the scene could see no renovation work, but it was just cordoned off, not allowing anyone to use it.

The controversy was reminiscent of racial remarks allegedly made by national secondary school principals. In August 2010, the principal of a school in Bukit Selambau, Sungai Petani allegedly scolded several non-Muslims students for taking breakfast at the school compound, saying that they were insensitive because Muslim students were fasting. He told off the students that they must respect every race’s culture, or they should “balik negara asal China” (go back to their native country China).

In Kulai, Johor, the principal of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra also allegedly told Chinese students to go back to China and said the Indians looked like “dogs” when they wore their prayer strings. Both incidents caused an uproar.

Education should tolerate no discrimination. Principals are mentors to students and they should never demonstrate a bad example. If discrimination takes place even in schools, how are students being cultivated under such an environment know how to respect other races and religions, and accept diversity?

Students being discriminated have to bear psychological pressure since young and how are they going to integrate into a multiracial society when they grow up? Racial harmony must start from schools, and schools should not be the root of a split.

The government has been committed to making national schools the people’s top choice to promote national integration. However, the goal would be difficult to achieve if such acts are not stopped.

Thankfully, many Muslims netizens have responded in a rational manner. They questioned why the school could not get a more appropriate location for students to eat. One of them wrote: “Should they be treated in such a way? Is our faith so weak that we need other students to eat in a changing room?”

In the Internet era, there is no way to cover any kinds of irrational act. Those who are bearing social responsibility must be self-restraint and learn how to tolerate different cultures.

To avoid controversy, the Education Ministry must also prepare a set of Ramadan month guidelines for schools, including opening school canteens for non-Muslim students. Any persons violating the guidelines should face disciplinary actions.

It is not easy to maintain racial harmony. Most importantly, preventive measures must be taken to avoid the problems from evolving into crises. — mysinchew.com

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.