Human rights education in schools

Abstract

Human rights teaching has always had a place in the Malaysian school curriculum because human rights have always been an integral part of societal mores and way of life of Malaysians as practised in the religions, traditions, cultures and philosophies of the various ethnic groups. Human rights was first taught under Civics Education in the 1970s, then as part of Values or Moral Education and Islamic Religious Education in the 1980s, which are compulsory subjects for every student in school. With these subjects mandated in the course of studies, human rights is very much entrenched in the experience of every child.