Article search by : Mr. Wan Muhammad Isam

Source : SPRM

 

EFFORTS to cultivate a generation of ethical and corruption-free citizens must begin at the school level, as instilling these values in students is easier compared to influencing adults.

The reality today is that poor governance and mismanagement continue to plague society, with corruption becoming a significant national issue—like a persistent virus affecting all sectors, including the economy, politics, education, and administration.

The financial losses caused by leakages, abuse of power, and misappropriation at various organizational levels are alarming. If left unchecked, these issues could severely harm economic growth and national progress, ultimately impacting the well-being of the people.

The increasing number of corruption cases reported in the media and brought to justice proves that, despite ongoing enforcement and preventive measures, white-collar crime remains unresolved.

While we urge authorities not to relent in their enforcement efforts, it is also time for the government to focus on fostering a culture of integrity and anti-corruption awareness within society from an early age.

This is crucial because adults involved in integrity issues today are often resistant to change due to their long-standing habits and behaviors. Corruption has become normalized in many organizations, making it difficult to reform entrenched mindsets.

For long-serving employees, accepting bribes or turning a blind eye to misconduct has become a way of life, creating an environment where change is challenging despite preventive and awareness efforts. Meanwhile, young employees entering the workforce are easily influenced by unethical senior colleagues, leading them to compromise their values and eventually participate in corrupt practices. This happens because their integrity and moral resilience are weak.

Therefore, it is wiser to focus on school students who will shape the future generation of ethical citizens. This requires a collaborative effort from parents and teachers, who play a direct role in shaping children’s character, attitudes, and behaviors.

The integration of integrity values should be structured, starting with parental awareness and responsibility in instilling these principles at home. Parents should introduce integrity lessons before their children enter school through informal education and role modeling.

Thus, it would be beneficial to incorporate integrity training for soon-to-be married couples and prospective parents through pre-marital and parenting courses. This would ensure they understand their duty to raise children with strong ethical values. Currently, there is no specific module for educating children on integrity, and it has not been given significant attention.

Failing to address this issue could result in young parents being unprepared to fulfill this responsibility, as instilling integrity from an early age is often perceived as trivial or unimportant until its consequences emerge later.

 

A MORE FORMAL APPROACH

Once this foundation is set, the responsibility should be extended to teachers and schools, starting from primary education, to incorporate integrity-building in a more serious, formal, and structured manner.

This does not mean burdening teachers with additional subjects but rather encouraging them to integrate integrity training into their existing curriculum through engaging activities both inside and outside the classroom.

The goal is to expose students to the importance of honesty, sincerity, accountability, and adherence to rules in all aspects of daily life.

Teachers can incorporate integrity values into their lessons creatively and weave them into extracurricular activities such as uniformed bodies, clubs, and sports programs.

Instilling positive values—such as discouraging lying to teachers, parents, and peers, avoiding cheating in exams, respecting others’ property, fulfilling responsibilities when given leadership roles, and practicing fairness in all dealings—through structured and informal activities can have a significant impact on students.

By continuously promoting these values in school activities, students will internalize integrity as a lifelong practice, carrying it into adulthood. Eventually, this approach will help build a high-integrity, corruption-free society.

The ultimate goal is to encourage children to adopt positive values in their daily lives from an early age, particularly regarding integrity and strong character. Engaging in consistent ethical behavior daily will shape their attitudes, conduct, and personality, leaving a lasting impact.

Schools are the ideal place to instill the seeds of integrity in young minds, laying the foundation for eradicating corruption at its roots.

Therefore, we sincerely hope that the government will focus on embedding integrity education in schools as a national priority, ensuring the realization of a corruption-free Madani society.

 

Date of Input: 03/03/2025 | Updated: 25/04/2025 | muhammad.isam