Draft bill promises tailor-made education<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The latest draft bill on education is set to offer the public
\na customized curriculum system which would give students and
\nparents greater authority in the learning process, but will
\ndemand much more from teachers as well as the state budget for it
\nto work.<\/p>\n
The proposed bill, initiated by the House of Representatives
\nwith the help of a government-appointed team, would minimize the
\nstate's role to empower the public and schools, said Ibrahim
\nMusa, a government consultant on drafting the bill.<\/p>\n
Its premise, he said on Thursday, was to open up the education
\nsystem. \"Students will have a more individual curriculum... they
\ncan pick studies even from different institutions.\"<\/p>\n
Schools would resemble universities where students, instead of
\nteachers, would change classes according to their subjects.<\/p>\n
Students may attend different schools or universities and even
\nchoose to learn a subject outside the school at an accredited
\nprivate course.<\/p>\n
The open education system enables students to design their own
\nstudy program much in the same way university students do.<\/p>\n
They might attend subjects at higher classes and must only
\nrepeat those they fail to pass instead of sitting through the
\nwhole year.<\/p>\n
\"The goal is to enable bright students to graduate at an
\nearlier age,\" said Ibrahim.<\/p>\n
Implementing the policy of an open education system also calls
\nfor more involvement from schools and parents.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim said the draft bill calls for schools to form
\ncommittees with parents, local government officials and public
\nfigures.<\/p>\n
\"The committee will have a say in directing the school
\neducation policy. We are still considering this, but its
\nauthority may go as far as selecting the teachers for a school.\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
While most had few objections against the draft bill, he
\nconceded that teachers had criticized it as it would increase
\ntheir responsibility.<\/p>\n
Poorly paid and pressured with overcrowded classes, teachers
\nwill now be asked to design their own teaching materials,
\nevaluate their students better and still keep up with national
\nstandards.<\/p>\n
They must also possess at least a bachelor's degree - a policy
\nthat may hinder the entrance of new teachers and cause others to
\ndrop their positions amid an already scarce supply pool.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim said as more was demanded from teachers, the bill
\nallowed them to receive higher salaries than other civil
\nservants.<\/p>\n
But this promise needs approval from the Finance Ministry
\nwhich is scrambling to cut expenses amid massive debt burdens.<\/p>\n
The draft bill further wants the central government and local
\nadministrations to set aside a 20 percent share of their budget
\nfunds on education, not including teachers' wages.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim admitted this demand drew critics from many corners
\ninside the government.<\/p>\n
\"What can we say, education is a long term investment,\" he
\nsaid, reasoning that most other countries set aside some 25
\npercent of their overall budgets for education.<\/p>\n
He added that spending on education amounted to less than 10
\npercent of the Rp 258.84 trillion (about US$27 billion) allotted
\nfor development and routine spending in the 2002 state budget.<\/p>\n
Education expert Mochtar Buchori said that with the proposed
\nbill, the government had taken the right step in reforming the
\neducation sector.<\/p>\n
\"It (the draft bill) is the right step, as it gives the
\nopportunity for greater participation for the public,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia uses the 1989 education law that experts said could
\nno longer cope with the vast changes the nation had experienced.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim said the draft bill shared similarities with both the
\nMalaysian and the U.S. education systems but by and large was a
\nmix of various opinions locally.<\/p>\n
The House expects to submit the bill for deliberation with the
\ngovernment later this month.<\/p>\n
The new education law, he said, could come out by next
\nSeptember with government regulations to follow within a year.<\/p>",
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