'Make history compulsory subject in primary schools'

KUALA LUMPUR: The prime minister yesterday proposed that history be made a compulsory subject in primary schools.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said a love for history must be instilled from young."Our youngsters have to be acquainted with history so that they will later understand and appreciate the sacrifices of those before them.

"There is a need to learn from history, otherwise we are likely to repeat the same mistakes," he said at the opening of the Malaysian Historical Society's RM20 million Wisma Sejarah.

Present were Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein; Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Malaysian Historical Society executive committee chairman Datuk Omar Mohd Hashim.

Abdullah also suggested making history a more exciting subject for students. "I hope the Education Ministry can look into strengthening the existing curriculum for the subject.

"Hishammuddin immediately said his ministry would look into the prime minister's recommendations.

He said adding extra subjects in the primary school curriculum required an in-depth study.

"We have to study, among other things, the availability of teaching staff and to identify any possible impact it would have on other existing subjects.

" Asked when the subject could be introduced, Hishammuddin declined to fix a time frame. Abdullah also pointed out the need to have more Malaysians documenting the events they had witnessed.

The New Straits Times Online: 15 Oktober 2008