Autonomy expected to improve education<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Local administrations should make the best use
\nof the greater autonomy from the central government to develop
\nthe educational system, Minister of Education and Culture
\nWardiman Djojonegoro said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Wardiman said that the autonomy will in fact allow \"wealthy\"
\nlocal governments to make available good educational facilities
\nin their regions.<\/p>\n
\"However, this is only one positive point among the aspects of
\nautonomy and there is much more to it than the financial factor,\"
\nhe said as quoted by Antara news agency.<\/p>\n
In an step toward increasing the autonomy of local
\ngovernments, the minister of home affairs issued a decree last
\nOctober about the implementation of autonomy in 26 regencies of
\nthe nation's 27 provinces on a trial basis.<\/p>\n
This would imply that the education offices in the 26
\nregencies or cities could be scrapped. According to the decree
\nthis should be done by April 5, 1995.<\/p>\n
This would mean that the regency offices of the Ministry of
\nEducation and Culture should be put under the Ministry of Home
\nAffairs.<\/p>\n
Presently, for elementary education, the education and culture
\nministry runs two offices in the regency, namely the Kandep,
\nwhich oversees curriculum, and the Dinas, which manages human
\nresources and financial matters.<\/p>\n
For secondary education, all aspects, ranging from human
\nresources and facilities to the curriculum, are managed by the
\nKandep.<\/p>\n
Under the new \"autonomy scheme\" all educational institutions,
\nstarting from kindergarten to senior high schools, will be
\nsimplified and handled by the Dinas.<\/p>\n
Experts have expressed skepticism over the plans for
\neducational autonomy as there have already been numerous
\ncomplaints about the quality and management of elementary
\neducation throughout the country.<\/p>\n
Many have suggested instead that educational matters should be
\nmanaged by the Ministry of Education and Culture alone.<\/p>\n
In earlier news reports, Harsja W. Bachtiar, an aide to
\nWardiman, said that it would be more advantageous if elementary
\neducation was managed by the Ministry of Education and Culture,
\nespecially considering that it would be beneficial in the process
\nof strengthening national unity.<\/p>\n
Autonomy, he said, would further downgrade the quality of
\neducation because local governments have the tendency to deal
\nwith teachers in the way they would manage office administrators,
\nand not as educators.<\/p>\n
Harsja also pointed out that the local administrations
\nallocate only a very small amount of funds to elementary
\neducation from their development budgets.(pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/autonomy-expected-to-improve-education-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}