Change, and confusion, going on in the classroom<\/p>\n
Emiria Wijayanti
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
After 365 days, you'd think that something would change. After
\nleaving Jakarta last year to pursue a university degree in
\nAmerica, I arrived back home this summer looking forward to
\nspending time with my high school friends.<\/p>\n
Reminiscing about the past year took us to an interesting and
\nunsurprising topic: high school. Only this time we were not
\ngossiping about classmates, comparing notes from biology class or
\ndiscussing after school plans.<\/p>\n
We were deep in conversation on the state of education system
\nthat -- thank the lord -- we graduated from a year ago.<\/p>\n
The constant change applied to numerous graduating factors has
\nnot been a surprise. Its changes even seem to have developed into
\na trend for the past few years, each year's new introductions
\nculminating in mass confusion and increasingly aggravated
\ncitizens.<\/p>\n
It has also shed light on the disjointed state of the
\neducation system in the country, and also generated strong
\nreactions from the ones who have to survive the changes and still
\nfind ways to prevail in every aspect necessary, and who stand the
\nmost to lose: the students.<\/p>\n
\"In my opinion, the education system in Indonesia is
\nincompetent. Not only are its policies inconsistent, its
\ncurriculum also requires students to learn so many subjects, and
\nthere are too many things to learn within each subject,\" said
\nAstrid Kusumawardhani, who recently graduated from a private
\nIslamic high school in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Vicky Nugraha, who also recently graduated from a public high
\nschool in Bukit Duri, South Jakarta, echoes Astrid's opinion.<\/p>\n
\"The curriculum burdens students with so many subjects, we
\nhave to study 13 subjects a year. Sometimes, it seems like
\nstudents just know a lot on the surface, but don't have a deep
\nunderstanding of the material -- students study because of a
\ntest, but forget everything after that.\"<\/p>\n
Astrid and Vicky are among lucky ones, because they graduated
\nthis year. Bima Prasetya, in his second year of high school, has
\nto anticipate a curriculum change in his final year of high
\nschool at a private Catholic high school in Menteng, Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"I think the number of subjects students learn is a bit
\nextreme. Why are we studying the relativity theory in high
\nschool? Not everyone aspires to be Einstein. If someone wants to
\ndo that, why don't they do it in university,\" Bima said.<\/p>\n
\"Maybe it's meant to create an understanding among students,
\nbut in practice, it stands in the way of learning the basics that
\nstudents should have a deeper understanding of.\"<\/p>\n
Although private high schools are usually more progressive in
\ntheir teaching methods, they still stick to the curriculum set by
\nthe Ministry of National Education and administer the much-
\ndebated National Final Examination (UAN) as the standard for
\ngraduation.<\/p>\n
The UAN has brought to light the \"ugly\" side of standardized
\ntesting, but those who have had to sit through it have mixed
\nresponses about some underlying issues.<\/p>\n
\"Standardized testing is good, it forces students to compete
\nwith each other, making education in all parts of Indonesia the
\nsame and that's very important,\" said Astrid. \"I don't think the
\nUAN should be abolished, but its use as the single determining
\nfactor of graduation is bad. Not to mention the introduction of
\nthe conversion table.\"<\/p>\n
The conversion table introduces the concept of grade
\nallotment, which effectively means that higher scoring students
\nsee their grades downgraded to cover for the lower scoring
\nstudents, who will see their grades upgraded.<\/p>\n
Some consider it a \"dumbing down\" of the education system,
\nwhen Indonesia should in fact be striving to reward excellence in
\nan increasingly competitive time and when it consistently ranks
\nat the bottom for its quality of education (Indonesia ranked
\nseventh of 10 ASEAN countries in the 2003 UNDP Education Index).<\/p>\n
Bima said many of his schoolmates were disappointed by the
\nconversion table, finding the government's policies \"weird\".<\/p>\n
\"On the one hand, we should try to raise the standard, I agree
\nwith the 4.0 standard. What's surprising is the fact that, in
\nthis day and age, people should realize that if the maximal point
\nis a 10, then the minimal should be a 5! A 4 is OK, but a 3?
\nWhat's the point of raising the standard, but introducing a
\nconversion table, that's useless.\"<\/p>\n
\"Don't play politics in education. If kids don't pass then
\nthey don't pass -- welcome to the real world. In reality we need
\nthe standard to move forward, so don't sacrifice the smart kids
\nto avoid shame on the system,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, he added, there should be the realization
\nthat not everyone is capable of the same standard.<\/p>\n
\"I read of someone's proposal to introduce different standards
\nfor different schools. They should be divided into groups and
\neach year the standard for each group should be raised. I think
\nthat's a good solution,\" Bima said.<\/p>\n
Whether or not it is due to the controversy caused by the UAN,
\nor if it was a plan prepared well in advance, the Ministry of
\nNational Education is set to introduce a new system for the
\n2004\/2005 academic year -- Competency Based Curriculum (KBK) --
\nthat will find its way to a school near you.<\/p>\n
The guidebook for the KBK states the more active role of
\nstudents within the learning environment, as well as introducing
\na new grading method that will not be reliant on one test at the
\nend of the school year to determine graduation (read: no more
\nUAN).<\/p>\n
Inevitably, some students are also concerned by the new
\ncurriculum.<\/p>\n
\"To start adapting to KBK, my school has tried a teaching
\nmethod where, on certain days, students take the place of
\nteachers to explain subjects to the class. It's very dull. I
\ndon't think Indonesia is ready for the KBK,\" said Tizar Renata,
\nwho will enter her third and final year this 2004\/2005 school
\nyear in a public school in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"Students should have a more active role in deciding what
\nsubjects they want to study within the curriculum, which in
\nitself should not be so rigid. Too many of the subjects we study
\ncan't be practiced in real life. The government should think
\npractically.\"<\/p>\n
Astrid highlighted another aspect of education that needs
\nattention: training for teachers.<\/p>\n
\"We have to remember that teachers play a very important role.
\nMaybe they should get extra training from the government,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"And teaching methods have to be improved and renewed,
\nespecially with our curriculum that keeps constantly changing,\"
\nsaid Vicky.<\/p>\n
According to the KBK booklet, the introduction of the new
\ncurriculum will allot time for students to explore
\nextracurricular activities.<\/p>\n
\"The first priority should be academics, but the ministry
\nshould attempt to highlight other opportunities outside of class
\nthat students have,\" Astrid agreed.<\/p>\n
\"Extracurricular activities are a must, especially when in
\nsuch a complicated curriculum, it provides students a vehicle of
\nexpression. It should be considered more seriously by the
\ngovernment and it's the students' responsibility to balance
\nbetween the academic and nonacademic aspects of school,\" said
\nVicky.<\/p>\n
With its implementation set for the beginning of the 2004\/2005
\nschool year, students are nervously anticipating what lies ahead.<\/p>\n
\"I see my lower level classmates, and they seem to be more
\nstressed than me when I was in their position,\" said Fika Fawzia,
\nwho graduated this year from a public school in Bulungan, South
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"At least I didn't have to search in the dark for something I
\nhave no idea about. I'm glad I've graduated because I don't know
\nif KBK will actually be useful for students.\"<\/p>\n
The constant changes in high school education are turning into
\na trend, where, every year, the month of May signals a time of
\nconfusion and nuisance for those directly or indirectly connected
\nto the subject of education.<\/p>\n
Those who actually have to sit in a class for three years to
\nendure the feeling out period of the changes are fed up.<\/p>\n
\"If the government wants to make changes in education, why
\ndon't they try becoming high school students? Go sit in class and
\nsee what's right and wrong for us. We're not guinea pigs,\" said
\nFika.<\/p>\n
Plain and simple.<\/p>\n
The writer, an undergraduate student at Wesleyan University in
\nthe United States, is an intern at The Jakarta Post.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/change-and-confusion-going-on-in-the-classroom-1447899208",
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