School Curriculum and Moral Development: Elementary and Secondary School Textbooks Used in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan

This research paper examines the role of elementary and secondary school textbooks in fostering moral development within the educational frameworks of Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan (BIMP). This study is undertaken to explore the increasing importance of moral education in contemporary curricula, driven by the complexities of the 21st century, shaping pupils’ moral perspectives and their cultural interactions. The study employs Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) to analyze the content of textbooks, focusing on how narratives and descriptive texts convey moral values and principles. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze textbooks’ content. The findings reveal that textbooks serve as instruments for instilling religious, moral, social, and cultural values, thereby shaping students' moral identities and ethical decision-making. The analysis revealed the alignment of educational policies across BIMP countries, emphasizing the integration of religious (Islamic) values and the promotion of character building as a central element to moral education. The study advocates for the incorporation of multireligious and pluralistic perspectives to enhance the relevance of moral education in pupils’ lives in the 21st century. This study calls for further research into the impact of language textbooks and teachers’ pedagogical practices on the moral development of pupils and how these could empower pupils to navigate ethical challenges effectively.