Education must be free<\/p>\n
After almost sixty years of independence, education has
\nremained a luxury only affordable to the wealthy elite (top
\ngovernment officials, wealthy businesspeople and the
\nnonindigenous population). During Indonesia's independence, the
\nstress in education was on producing intellectuals who did not
\ncare much about the fate of the common people. By entering
\npolitical parties, they became aware that the involvement of
\nordinary people was essential to the development of nationhood
\nand achieving national goals.<\/p>\n
Today's education, from elementary to secondary and high
\nschool and even to university level, must be free to people at
\nevery level in society. Then, students must be fully aware that
\neverything should be weighed up in the global perspective,
\nincluding competition in trade and human skills.<\/p>\n
It has become imperative, for the majority of the people, that
\neducation must be free at all levels, something they may still
\ndream about for another fifty years perhaps. More than anything
\nelse, today's Indonesian leaders in polities and those deeply
\nconcerned with the intellectual well-being of future generations,
\nshould do whatever is in their power to make education free for
\nthem rather than merely improving the system, or reaching for the
\nintellectual high ground.<\/p>\n
Stress should be put on creating trustworthy personalities
\nready to sacrifice their interests for the good of others. It is
\na sin to create a generation of hungry young people deprived of
\ntheir right to a basic education in a potentially rich country
\nsuch as Indonesia, when even public demonstrations do not help
\nany more.<\/p>\n
GANDHI SUKARDI<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/education-must-be-free-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }