Education bill debate still unresolved<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A full-team House of Representatives and Minister of National
\nEducation Abdul Malik Fadjar failed to reach consensus on three
\ncontentious issues during the fourth lobbying session on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
With no progress made on the bill's deliberation after a
\nseries of lobbying and consultation meetings dating back to last
\nThursday, the prospect of a vote is still there.<\/p>\n
To underline the significance of the bill, House Speaker Akbar
\nTandjung of Golkar and his three deputies -- Soetardjo
\nSoerjogoeritno of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan), Muhaimin Iskandar of the National Awakening
\nParty (PKB), and A.M. Fatwa of the Reform faction -- joined the
\ndebate midway, but were unable to settle the dispute.<\/p>\n
The legislators and the education minister agreed after a
\nmarathon debate that lasted over five hours to adjourn the
\nconsultation meeting until June 9, one day before the date set
\nfor the bill's endorsement.<\/p>\n
Sources said that the decision to adjourn the meeting was made
\nat the request of PDI Perjuangan faction chairman Roy BB Janis,
\nas the largest political bloc wanted to consult party chairwoman
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, who is also the President.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Akbar said the House
\nand the government managed only to reach \"an interim agreement\"
\non two of the three contentious issues.<\/p>\n
\"We hope we can settle the problems on Monday. If so, we will
\nnot have to go to a vote on those issues,\" Akbar told a press
\nconference. Minister Malik Fadjar, Soetardjo, Muhaimin,
\nTaufikurrahman (chairman of House Commission VI on education),
\nand Anwar Arifin (chairman of the committee deliberating the
\nbill), accompanied Akbar during the media briefing.<\/p>\n
The three unsettled issues are the introduction which forms
\nthe basis of the bill, the function and role of national
\neducation, and the recognition of five religions in the country.<\/p>\n
Under the interim agreement, the fourth paragraph of the
\nPreamble to the 1945 Constitution would be added to the original
\nversion of the bill's introduction.<\/p>\n
The factions and the government also agreed to that students
\ncould study the five recognized religions in class. Religious
\ninstruction will be given by the government and\/or the community,
\nthe modified Article 31 (1) of the bill says.<\/p>\n
However, the factions remain far apart when it comes to
\nfunctions and goals of education.<\/p>\n
The largest faction, the PDI Perjuangan, and the
\nMilitary\/Police faction insisted that the functions and the aims
\nof education as defined by the bill be changed.<\/p>\n
Legislator Jos Rahawadan of the Indonesian Nationhood Unity
\n(KKI) faction said his faction was also demanding that the
\nfunctions and aims of education be changed.<\/p>\n
Small in number, the KKI faction has no representative on the
\ncommission.<\/p>\n
Article 3 states that the function of national education is to
\ncreate an intellectually developed nation by nurturing
\ncapabilities, character, and cultural awareness, while Article 4
\nsays national education is aimed at producing citizens possessed
\nof religious faith, rationality, good health, education, skills,
\ncreativity, independence, and democratic awareness.<\/p>\n
The PDI Perjuangan, TNI\/Police and KKI factions are insisting
\nthat national education be aimed at creating intellectually
\ndeveloped individuals without reference being made to religious
\nfaith or rationality.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/education-bill-debate-still-unresolved-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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