When former Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli recently declared in FMT, “The future of the country begins in the classroom,” his words struck a deep chord.

He was speaking not only of education policy, but of something more profound: schools are the cradle of Malaysia’s soul.

Rafizi is right to highlight the divisions in our education system. Too many children grow up in separate streams, rarely engaging with peers of different backgrounds.

By adulthood, mistrust hardens, and unity feels fragile. His call for bold reforms; better teachers, stronger curricula, modern infrastructure is urgent.

Yet beyond structural reform lies a deeper question: What kind of Malaysians should our classrooms produce?

Lessons from my alma mater

I often reflect on my days at St. Paul’s Institution, Seremban, where I graduated with the Class of 1986. It was a missionary school that shaped not just my knowledge, but my character.

Our principal, the late Brother James Macken, reminded us in assemblies that education without values was incomplete.

Each morning, we recited the Rukun Negara: Belief in God, Loyalty to King and Country, Supremacy of the Constitution, Rule of Law, Courtesy and Morality. These became our living commitments.

Values also came alive in sports. St. Paul’s was a marvel in hockey, often on a winning streak.

I had the privilege of representing the school in district and state tournaments.

Legendary coaches like the late William Fidelis and Lawrence Van Huizen who are devoted to the sports, drilled into us that success was born of discipline and dedication.

Every match was about more than victory. It was about pride, camaraderie, and devotion to something bigger than ourselves.

That spirit still thrives in the Old Paulians’ Association, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. It shows how values formed in classrooms and on the hockey field, endure for life and why classrooms can be powerful catalysts for national unity.

The quintuple secrets of Charactaire

These experiences inspired my work in Charactaire, where I distilled values into what I call the Quintuple Secrets: Dream, Discipline, Determination, Dedication, and Devotion. They align seamlessly with the aspirations of the Rukun Negara.

Dream: Children must be encouraged to envision not just personal success, but also their contribution to the country.

Finland’s education system does this well by linking personal goals with social responsibility, reminding students that learning is for both self and society.

Imagine every Malaysian student keeping a Dream Journal where a child aspiring to be a doctor writes about healing communities, an engineer about building sustainable cities, or an artist about inspiring unity through creativity.

Such dreams, when tied to the nation’s progress, give education a higher purpose.

Discipline: Discipline builds consistency and trust. In Japan, students practise ōsōji (big cleaning), where they clean not only classrooms but also hallways and toilets.

This daily ritual instills humility, accountability, and respect for shared spaces. Our schools, if such practices are kept free from politicization can adopt similar routines, such as shared responsibilities and daily reflection, to make discipline a way of life.

Determination: Failure is not defeat; it is growth. Thomas Edison’s countless failed experiments before inventing the lightbulb are legendary.

Closer to home, Datuk Lee Chong Wei’s repeated Olympic heartbreaks did not stop him from becoming a symbol of resilience for Malaysia.

Schools can nurture determination through debates, science fairs, and sports, where setbacks are reframed as stepping stones to success.

Dedication: True education is service beyond self. During the Covid-19 pandemic, healthcare workers worldwide embodied dedication by serving tirelessly, often at personal risk.

Schools can instill this same spirit through structured community service, whether in river clean-ups, recycling projects, or tutoring underprivileged peers.

Reminding students that knowledge carries a responsibility to society.

Devotion: The highest phase is love for the nation. Nelson Mandela’s devotion to reconciliation kept South Africa united, while Mother Teresa’s devotion uplifted Calcutta’s poorest.

Here, schools can cultivate devotion through cross-cultural exchange days, unity projects, and the daily pledge of the Rukun Negara, helping students grow proud to understand both their own and others heritage for a shared Malaysian identity.

Classroom is not just where learning begins. It is where Malaysia begins.

From classrooms to boardrooms

What begins in the classroom does not end there. The same values that shape students eventually shape leaders in boardrooms.

In my years as a HR practitioner, I have seen how integrity, resilience, and responsibility determine whether leaders succeed.

These qualities are not acquired late in one’s career. They are planted in classrooms.

This is why I advocate HOCTOS: Hire on Character, Train on Skills.

Skills can always be taught, but character is foundational. If schools nurture this, interviews and placements later in life become more effective.

Organizations get not only competence but the right cultural fit, leaders who uplift both their companies and their country.

A nation on whole

If our classrooms embed the principles of the Rukun Negara and the Charactaire Framework, every child’s talent will be discovered, whether in science, arts, leadership, or sports. No one will be wasted.

This is how Malaysia can become not a nation divided, but a nation on whole: a Malaysia where diversity is celebrated, classrooms shape boardrooms, and character becomes the bedrock of both society and enterprise.

The classroom as Malaysia’s soul

Rafizi is right: the future of Malaysia begins in the classroom. But classrooms are not only where lessons are taught.

They are where discipline, determination, and devotion are forged, where the aspirations of the Rukun Negara are etched deeply into young hearts.

My journey from the classrooms and hockey fields of St. Paul’s Institution to my current work in Charactaire has convinced me of this truth: when values are formed in schools, they last a lifetime.

The classroom shapes the citizen. The citizen shapes the company. Together, they shape the nation. As a sage once said, “The end of education is character.”

Indeed, the classroom is not just where learning begins. It is where Malaysia begins.

(Asohan Satkunasingham is an Author, Character Quotient Pioneer, Corporate Educator and Global HR Strategist.)