Forest School Concept Based on Indigenous Knowledge for Orang Asli Schools: From an Expert’s Perspective

Abstract

Indigenous people or Orang Asli children in Malaysia experience difficulty in understanding the
standard curriculum. The syllabus of schools seems not to match the intellectual understanding of Orang
Asli children, resulting in loss of interest in class and refusal to go to school. This paper discusses the
importance of introducing the Forest School concept in the education of Orang Asli children from an expert
perspective. Experts in the indigenous field and community leaders were interviewed. Twelve respondents
were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The interview subjects were at the age ranging from 45
to 65 years old, with the average age being 55. With the subject’s consent, the recordings of semi- structured
interviews were later verbatim transcribed, compiled and compared using protocol interview as an
instrument. Five themes were thematically interpreted. The results indicated the need to (1) maintaining the
identity of Orang Asli, (2) ensuring indigenous knowledge is not forgotten by the Orang Asli children, (3)
preserving forests for sustainability and (5) upholding the Orang Asli children sense of belonging. This
paper asserts that through Forest School, it is essential to learn and assimilate the modern world while
maintaining their identity as Orang Asli. Indigenous knowledge needs to be incorporated into primary
schools' syllabus to ensure that Orang Asli children learn about their heritage and sustainability in forests.
Orang Asli schools must also conduct teaching and learning activities according to the interest of Orang Asli
children to strengthen their sense of belonging. The outcome is that Orang Asli children will be keen and
enthusiastic to learn the knowledge given during teaching and learning as it relates to their environment.
This study has implications in the future which can provide a deeper understanding of the ramifications of
the forest school outlook to teach and learn within a primary school setting.