Challenges and Necessities of Realizing a Multicultural Curriculum in a Centralized (Dominant) Education System

The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges and necessities of implementing a multicultural curriculum in a centralized education system. Multicultural curriculum is a vital need in multicultural communities that want to live together peacefully. This approach rejects and challenges issues such as racism and other forms of discrimination, and instead acknowledges ethnic, cultural, and racial pluralism. The present research is a mixed study in terms of the nature of the data. In the qualitative phase of the study, the relevant patterns, dimensions, components, and indicators were identified and prioritized based on the perspective of experts in the field. The quantitative phase involved factor analysis of the perspective of experts in curriculum design and textbook development as well as secondary school teachers who were selected using cluster sampling to evaluate the model, dimensions, components and indicators as already approved by experts. According to the results of the present study, a multicultural curriculum puts an emphasis on the indigenous culture of each region which should be preserved, respected and reflected in education. In the meantime, familiarizing students with other cultures and ethnicities of society and setting the stage for recognizing and interacting with them will create a nationalistic feeling along with a deeper understanding in the student.