1,000 educators gather for national meeting<\/p>\n
By Santi WE Soekanto<\/p>\n
UJUNGPANDANG (JP): Some 1,000 educators will gather today for
\nthe third national conference on education, with this year's
\nfocus on ways to adjust Indonesia's programs to the demands of
\nglobalization.<\/p>\n
The first convention in 1988 in Bandung drafted an education
\nlaw, while the second in 1992 in Medan, North Sumatra, discussed
\nhow to implement the law. The theme of the current convention is
\neducating Indonesians to meet the challenges of global free trade
\nin 2020.<\/p>\n
A brief look at the programs, however, reveals more of an
\ninterest in closing the existing local education gaps. Some will
\nspeak on ways to help students cope with industrialization,
\nothers will talk about how geographically remote places in the
\narchipelago prevent children from getting proper educations.<\/p>\n
Noted computer experts and other scientists such as Dali S.
\nNaga, Iskandar Alisyahbana, Alwi Dahlan, Sri Hardjoko, Arief S.
\nSadiman and Tina Mariani will discuss the use of the Internet and
\nmultimedia computers in education. Several will address the
\nproblem of poor children with learning opportunities.<\/p>\n
In addition, participants will evaluate the progress of
\nIndonesia's education system during the past 50 years after
\nindependence. \"We wish to critically analyze our experience in
\neducation development,\" one of the organizers, Anah Suhaenah
\nSuparno, told the press last week.<\/p>\n
The event spans a wide range of topics because, she said,
\n\"there's no way we can speak about education without bringing in
\nother issues as well\".<\/p>\n
Anah's colleague, Hafid Abass, said that despite the numerous
\nissues handled, the convention is expected to come up with some
\npractical recommendations. The head of the research and
\ndevelopment center at the Jakarta Teachers Training and Education
\nInstitute (IKIP) expressed hope that the many topics will not
\nsidetrack participants from the goal of producing workable plans.<\/p>\n
Anah, who is also rector of the Jakarta Teachers Training
\nCollege, added that the event is meant to draw the attention of
\npolicy makers to the need of a greater budget for education.<\/p>\n
Citing a World Bank study, she said that countries which have
\nrecorded rapid economic progress are also those which have
\ninvested heavily in education.<\/p>\n
According to 1991 statistics, some 24.4 million Indonesian
\nchildren between the ages of 6 and 11 are enrolled, while the
\ndrop-out rate before grade four is 12 percent. The number of
\nilliterates, 20.9 million in 1990 with 60 percent of these in the
\nover-45 age bracket, is reportedly on the decline.<\/p>\n
Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro will
\nopen the meeting on behalf of the Coordinating Minister for
\nPeople's Welfare Azwar Anas. At least 50 main papers from local
\nspeakers and ten others from guest speakers from Malaysia and
\nSingapore will be discussed in the convention.<\/p>\n
Wardiman, who since his 1993 appointment to the cabinet has
\nbeen trumpeting his \"link and match\" concept focusing on the need
\nto adjust the content of education to the demands of the
\nindustrial world, will also explain his views on education
\ndevelopment for 2020.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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