SINGAPORE — Secondary school teacher Rachel Tan (not her real name) stepped into her classroom on Feb 28 with some apprehension — she was about to teach a class on the war in Gaza and felt ill-equipped for the questions that might come from her students.
The science teacher in her early 20s had attended two 45-minute sessions in early February with her school's Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) head of department to prepare for the lesson, but still did not feel confident.
"I didn't stay (on top of) the issue, so it may be a bit awkward if I can't answer some questions. I think it might've been better if the package was conducted during a social studies lesson," she said.
A junior college teacher of seven years said a class taught by his school's CCE head turned tense when students raised questions about Israel's shelling of civilian targets, such as hospitals, in Gaza.
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The two were among more than 20 teachers and principals from primary and secondary schools and junior colleges that The Straits Times interviewed about the lessons, which the Ministry of Education (MOE) rolled out in mid-February 2024.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the majority of the teachers interviewed — who were of all ethnicities and had between two and 26 years of teaching experience — shared various concerns, including feeling ill-prepared and worried about backlash from parents.
They also felt the content they were provided did not have enough historical context and was oversimplistic.
CCE lessons cover a range of contemporary issues, including mental well-being and casual racism. But the latest lessons on the Israel-Hamas conflict have become a lightning rod for criticism, with parents also raising concerns over the teaching material.
At least two PAP MPs — Nadia Samdin (Ang Mo Kio GRC) and Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang GRC) — and Progress Singapore Party Non-Constituency Members Hazel Poa and Leong Mun Wai have filed questions about the lessons, which will be answered in Parliament this week.
Teachers told ST that MOE is relooking the material and that some schools have postponed the lessons, which were originally meant to be conducted before the end of term on March 8.
Some school leaders have also held assembly sessions for students first to set the context of the lesson, before breaking into class discussions that teachers facilitate.
Veteran teachers said the "sensitive" lesson not only touches on history, geopolitics and international law, it also demands that teachers handle classroom discussions skilfully.
Their concerns mirror a struggle that educators elsewhere, including in the United States and UK are also facing as they try to tackle conversations both in and out of the classroom about the polarising and emotionally charged topic.
Still, most teachers here said the lesson was well intentioned, and some added that it was necessary. Others welcomed the mandate to open a formal discussion on an issue of "global interest", especially if it can help students make sense of it.
Eng Yuwen, 35, a General Paper teacher, said she expects difficult questions from students, and believes the lesson is "necessary and important". "A good number of our students live on social media, a habit that might expose them to unreliable sources of news and polarised views," she said.
"It's also an opportunity to model for them how we can feel strongly about an issue and still respond in a measured manner, being sensitive to those around us. We can acknowledge the atrocities of war without picking a side," she added.
While emotions may run high, it also means "our youth are aware, concerned about fellow mankind and are eager to effect change", said Eng, who has been teaching for about seven years. "I would hope that as a class, we can hold space for anyone who needs to speak up without fear of judgment."
Similarly, one language arts teacher, with 26 years of teaching experience, felt that students should learn "the importance of considering multiple perspectives and the complexities of an issue".
"We also need to understand why Singapore as a nation takes a certain stance and how it affects national interest," he said.
Said an English language teacher of 15 years: "Having lived through 9/11, I am able to understand the objective of this lesson." He was referring to the aftermath of the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the US, and hopes students come to appreciate the harmony and peace in Singapore.
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But many teachers felt they were not sufficiently equipped to carry out the lesson, even if they understood its objectives.
"No one can call themselves trained to facilitate the discussion when the training was barely an hour plus," said one social studies teacher of 10 years, echoing sentiments that workshops were not enough to prepare teachers.
A secondary school mathematics teacher with 15 years of experience said she found the class "very hard to teach" because the issues were too volatile, and she was not "confident to deal with questions or issues raised in class".
Nine teachers told ST that they objected to the framing of the issue, which begins its discussion of the conflict mainly from Oct 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages.
A secondary school humanities teacher of two years said this failed to discuss the full history of the conflict, "which can be misleading to students about blame and responsibility".
After Hamas' Oct 7 attack, Israel retaliated with an air and ground campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 30,000 people, most of them women and children. More than 85 per cent of 2.3 million Gazans have also been displaced from their homes.
Another secondary school teacher with 14 years of experience said the materials given do not include facts such as the International Court of Justice's ruling in January that Israel must prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, and international calls for a ceasefire.
"I know of teachers, including myself, who were on the receiving end of parents' anger. We were called names (like) stupid, government puppets or dogs, when we had no control of the materials and weren't consulted for our opinion about this package before it was rolled out," said the teacher.
Another teacher of five years said the discussion questions were "superficial" and felt more like a sharing of the national perspective, rather than a genuine discussion.
Teachers also said they were given instructions not to tweak the slides. The teacher of five years said this was unusual and "sent the very wrong signal that it was more about MOE trying to communicate certain perspectives".
It also left teachers in a difficult spot if students raised information they found online during the classroom discussion.
MOE has said the lessons aim to give students a "safe space" to understand the complex situation, develop their own views and appreciate diverse perspectives involved.
It added that teachers do not impose their personal views on students or advocate the interests of any particular party.
In an earlier media interview, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing had acknowledged the challenges of educators in carrying out the lesson, and said that MOE's CCE branch will support them where necessary.
He also said the CCE lessons were not meant to be a history lesson or to ascribe blame, but are instead intended to promote mutual understanding and social harmony.
"The purpose of education is not to spread anger and hatred. It is to inculcate knowledge, understanding and empathy for all human beings, regardless of race or creed," he said.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.