Education experts call for revision of curriculum<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Education experts called for a more hasty review
\nand revision of the curriculum instead of the usual 10-year cycle
\nto allow the country's education content to be more factual, and
\nto respond to the challenges of globalization.<\/p>\n
\"Countries such as Japan or German quickly evaluate or revise
\ntheir curriculum every four to five years,\" said M. Djamil
\nIbrahim, director of the curriculum center at the Ministry of
\nNational Education.<\/p>\n
\"If we are stuck with the old ones, how can we adjust to
\nglobal demands?\" he told journalists on Monday.<\/p>\n
The current curriculum has been used for six years and was
\nlast revised in 1994, replacing the previous curriculum which was
\ndrafted in 1984.<\/p>\n
\"Revising the curriculum has always been a tough issue as it
\ninevitably costs a lot of money to, for example, change text
\nbooks,\" Djamil said.<\/p>\n
\"But actually the basic sciences such as mathematics never
\nchange a great deal so we don't necessarily need new books. The
\nmost important thing is how these children can master basic
\neducation,\" Djamil said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a team of experts on basic education also slammed
\nthe government's inconsistencies and lack of a \"sense of crisis\"
\nin running the education policy which has caused Indonesia to
\nhave a poor ranking in mathematics and science.<\/p>\n
According to a recent survey of 38 members of the Third
\nInternational Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Indonesia
\nranked in the bottom six in mathematics and science.<\/p>\n
\"We always knew that our students are very poor in maths and
\nscience because since 1975 the average score for both subjects in
\nthe National Exam was never above the passing grade, which is
\nsix,\" Ade Cahyana, head of information for basic education
\ndivision.<\/p>\n
One difficulty according to Ade is the fact that the education
\npolicy often changes in line with the promotion of a new
\neducation minister.<\/p>\n
\"Fuad Hasan put emphasis on local content, Wardiman
\nDjojonegoro wanted more linking and matching. Now Minister Yahya
\nstrives to place basic education at the core of the curriculum\".<\/p>\n
\"We are outclassed on almost every front as our students lack
\npractice and are instead getting too many lectures in both maths
\nand science,\" Ade remarked.<\/p>\n
N.S. Vijaya of the curriculum center further stated that the
\nway students are taught needs to be improved.<\/p>\n
\"Students only learn maths and science in an abstract way,
\nwhich obviously weakens their logic,\" Vijaya said.<\/p>\n
In a bid to cope with the complex problem, the ministry of
\nnational education's research center is planning to standardize
\nbasic science for elementary to secondary education and higher
\neducation which includes cross-disciplinary subjects such as
\ncriminology<\/p>\n
\"It is sad that there are even policeman who cannot
\ndifferentiate between tapioca flour and heroin. It is basic
\nscience,\" Vijaya said. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/education-experts-call-for-revision-of-curriculum-1447893297",
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