Coercion does not help student learning

It was announced that the Islamic and Asian Civilization Studies, or Titans is, of course, would be made compulsory for students at private universities in Malaysia, he caused a great controversy.

Titan’s public universities in Malaysia are already mandated to teach all students. This move to expand the private universities and private universities in question are considered to have more autonomy.

Malaysia's ethnic configuration (except for the West), reflecting - Titans taught about Islamic, Malay, Indian, Chinese and Western civilization course. Historical content about "how we got 'talking - this is supposed to be covered in high school.

Surprisingly, such as subtle Radii Ramble several opposition members, not only acquiesced but blatantly supported the movement, the need for greater understanding between cultures referring to the multi-ethnic Malaysia.

Ironically, the mandatory implementation of Titans that most politicians are those who have studied in the West - where required courses than others integral to a certain extent, from time to time.

Titan’s debate is fundamental to what extent the government is able to intervene in the operation of private tertiary institutions because it represents.

Including foreign students - - government, among others, the University of Nottingham's Malaysia campus of the private university has the power to force all students required to do this course, high private institutions will be autonomous and, perhaps, even more students.

Such a threat to the freedom of the student would be unthinkable for any Western nation, and will likely be met with protests in the streets, just when tuition fees in the UK as they were walking. Stay in Malaysia, it was met with lackluster debates.

Without any public consultation, this obdurate agreement with the Malaysian government has set in stone appears.

A cosmetic solution

About Titans glaring point is, the underlying, fundamental issues that beleaguer this nation is a smokescreen. It is essential that we take a brief look at the structural problems in Malaysia.

Bumiputera have benefited from affirmative action policies - the soil, the Malay race and other Southeast Asian countries, the term used to describe children - still suffer, since 1970, imposed almost 40 years ago, though.

As for the racial disparity in wealth is still pervasive. Public schools - a bastion of segregation - are alive and well. It is an ethnic bloated public functions. Worth of secondary students are unscrupulously denied places in local universities by virtue of their ethnicity.

Faced with this situation, that the implementation of the Titans is a mockery of all ethnic Malaysia is facing problems. What's in the classroom, teaching does not agree with the reality that we live in.

A discourse on the issues that we have to start trying, instead, to force students to feel they need to embrace each other, knives, while still sticking to our backs. Real understanding comes only through trying to solve our structural problems.

Course based on the existence of violence

when I was in law school at a public university in Malaysia, Titans I had to endure. The course lasted for two hours a week, and there was a written examination. Of course, like others, has been the failure to bring to pass, you cannot graduate. There is supposed to be the new study recently Titans I hear. I hated the course, and still do - and that is why I am writing this article.

Obviously the problem is not just the content, and the 'other' cultures essentialisms about to plunge. Also, I hate to have any modicum of autonomy as a student I was supposed to have been destroyed.

I do not care Titans an optional course, the one who wants to know more about Islamic and Asian civilizations that can be taken on a voluntary basis as a person if you enter. But adults who are forced upon students at insulting our intelligence.

Let's not start with the minimum utility offers students Titans. Is the primary reason why students go to universities because they want to get a job? University to accumulate the necessary skills to make them marketable. I have no idea how a knowledge of Islamic and Asian civilizations operate the Large Hadrons Collider at CERN would help.

Titans are to promote a greater understanding of the cultural argument, of course, made in good faith. Who does not wish for a more harmonious Malaysia, where all ethnic groups can live together peacefully?

However, this time as the saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We have not only the means to look at their goals, but also for this purpose. In this case, the means - force - bad.

I think when you start to encourage the throats of the people, not the goal you want to achieve. In fact, the reverse is not true. College students are not stupid, and will not be guided by a shepherd's sheep passionate the trot.

Weapons are also vulnerable: Every day forms of resistance, the subordinates postulate James Scott (farmers) is not totally the dominants (the bourgeoisie) to accept what feeds them. Students who do not take kindly to being forced to take part in a course. Will they face subtle ways?

People dragged its feet frightening Titans class. Students will be reversible working blocks, and the subject of ridicule. In order to pass the time in class, bored again, students will have to pay attention to them and to take proper account of what is being taught. This issue is of less importance in itself and students will bring only seen as inferior.

I do that, I do not know.

Formally, sure, the government is studying the Titans 100% of the students will be able to record. But the number of people to assimilate what they learn will be minimal. Even those who have taken it, so they do not need to pass the exam and, more than that, will they forget. There is no need to follow what you have learned what you learn on the eroded over time no incentive.

Forcing people to study something like a university student is treated as if they were children. Please. In fact, students recognized a certain level of respect and we need to let them choose what they want to learn.

Quo Vadis, Malaysia?

I firmly believe that the supervisory role of the state and society should play only an authoritarian one. Honest understanding comes from the bottom up and not top-down perspective. Campaigns, elective courses will be a catalyst for greater understanding and dialogue between different ethnic groups. No compulsion.

Universities in the West as well as they are given the freedom in the world rankings, in fact, what they think is best to teach their students. It is little wonder that there are 50 universities in Malaysia that never reached the world rankings.

Universities may be the best time of the life of any individual. Do not mar the chances that they want to do that by disrespecting.

* AERIE School of Oriental and African Studies master's degree in anthropology Raman, or get at SOAS, and former law student of Universities Technology MARA Malaysia.