Redefining Education: Toward Civilizational Understanding and Justice

From Zalikhaa' Zainal Abidin

In a world becoming progressively fragmented due to miscommunication, discord, and inequity, the importance of education has never been greater.

Although communities have achieved significant advancements in enhancing accessibility to education, literacy rates, and certifications, an essential query persists: Has education genuinely equipped us with the ability to comprehend one another, not merely as individuals but also as part of various civilizations?

It is increasingly evident that education does not necessarily foster comprehension or acceptance of different civilizations.

Individuals might receive education but still struggle to comprehend the profound significance of history, culture, and interpersonal connections.

The facts are clear but the values are absent.

A major insight arising from the International Conference on Civilisational Dialogue 2025 (iConCiDi2025) hosted by the Universiti Malaya Centre for Civilisational Dialogue (UMCCD) highlights the necessity of closely scrutinising how education interacts with civilization and personal identity within our ever more connected global landscape.

While the initiative embraces a broad and ambitious theme, it is grounded in a pressing concern – education, in its current form, often falls short of fostering true civilisational understanding or meaningful tolerance.

Even with significant advancements in educating people, crucial queries persist: Do these educated individuals genuinely comprehend the cultural and historical richness of different societies?

Are they equipped with empathy as a guiding value?

Do they acknowledge and respect the intrinsic worth of individuals from various ethnic, cultural, or ideological origins?

This reflection urges us to move beyond conventional benchmarks of academic success and towards a more holistic vision of education – one that nurtures both the intellect and the moral compass, and, in doing so, strengthens the social fabric of pluralistic societies.

Beyond academics: towards civilisational literacy

Much of modern education is shaped by economic priorities, such as preparing students for jobs rather than life.

Although this emphasis has developed various sectors, it has undermined our capacity to value the philosophical, ethical, and cultural foundations of civilization.

Students might be familiar with historical occurrences and technical abilities, yet many lack exposure to the moral underpinnings of society along with values like fairness, empathy, respect, and harmony.

This shortage turns especially critical in multicultural societies where success relies not just on personal accomplishments but also on social cohesion and shared toughness.

Acceptance is not sufficient anymore.

What is required is a common cultural comprehension rooted in mutual respect and the acknowledgment of human dignity.

Genuine civilization is rooted in fairness, not just through judicial systems or legislation, but in the way individuals treat each other in their daily existence.

Fairness encompasses economic justice, equitable chances, societal integration, and the entitlement to voice one’s opinion.

At the heart of this lies human dignity and the belief that every person, regardless of ethnicity, background, or belief, deserves respect and a chance to thrive.

Nevertheless, educational systems seldom impart these concepts as enduring values.

While students might study rights and responsibilities, they often miss out on exploring the more profound moral issues of interacting with others through empathy, humility, and fairness.

The need for civilisational education becomes clearer when we examine present-day realities.

In Malaysia, for instance, growing polarisation and cultural misunderstandings are threatening the structure of our plural society.

Based on the Malaysia Racism Report 2023 published by the NGO Pusat Komas, there were 50 documented cases of racism and racial discrimination reported in 2023.

Among these incidents, 31.4% had political motives, whereas others stemmed from factors such as education (9.8%), sports (7.8%), government policies (7.8%), health issues along with various other fields (13.7%), provocations or instigation (17.6%), and xenophobia (11.8%).

These statistics present a grim reality — indicating that our national unity is facing pressure, and our educational system hasn’t adequately equipped us to handle this challenge.

Lacking profound cultural comprehension, various groups might inadvertently slide towards rivalry rather than collaboration, and mistrust instead of unity.

For any country, particularly one as varied as ours, survival relies on our capacity to convert diversity into a collective identity.

This should not happen via forced assimilation, but rather through shared contributions and mutual respect.

iConCiDi2025 highlights that for different communities to thrive within a varied society, they must collaborate in developing ways that safeguard their distinct cultural heritages while also significantly adding to common local and international stories.

To build a brighter tomorrow, all stakeholders need to participate in transforming education so that it encompasses not just knowledge, but also wisdom. It should focus on more than mere skills; it should instill ethical values as well.

This implies revamping our syllabuses, instructor preparation, and societal conversations to guarantee that education elevates both the spirit and intellect equally.

Only by doing so can we nurture generations who are not just employable, but enlightened.

Not only being informed, but also comprehending.

It's not only about the citizens of a nation, but also active contributors in the creation of a fair and honorable civilization.

Nur Zalikhaa' Zainal Abidin serves as a research analyst at the Malaysian Institute for Future Studies.

The opinions stated belong to the author and may not represent the stance of FMT.