Education needs radical review<\/p>\n
By Valentinus Irawan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): As the yearly observation of National Education
\nDay approaches, many teachers will be feeling uneasy. One reason
\nfor the uneasiness is that their salaries will be cut to
\n\"commemorate the occasion\".<\/p>\n
Although the cut has come to be taken for granted as a yearly
\nroutine measure, it is still worrisome. This is especially true
\nif the recent increases in transportation costs are considered.
\nIn addition, there is inflation and the meager income of teachers
\nin Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The other reason is that -- as on every National Education Day
\n-- the teachers are expected to again listen to the same speech
\nfrom their superiors. This consists of rhetoric interspersed with
\nsuch subjects as \"development\" and \"modernization\", \"development
\nof human resources\", \"science and technology\", \"link and match\",
\n\"demand of the market\", and others.<\/p>\n
These are the terms which most often disturb the conscience of
\nteachers who care deeply about educational practices and
\npolicies.<\/p>\n
Most Indonesian teachers probably do not fully understand the
\nmeanings of the high-sounding words. But the teacher's concerns
\ndo not arise from their inability to grasp the meanings of those
\n\"mystical terms\". It is the ever-widening gap between the ideal
\nand the reality which confuses their humble minds.<\/p>\n
Many decision makers as well as prominent persons have a
\ntendency of telling the public that Indonesia needs to design its
\neducation to meet market demand and to develop its human
\nresources, science and technology in order to achieve
\nmodernization.<\/p>\n
For most teachers, these things seem to be out of the realm of
\ntheir everyday experiences. What they face are textbooks full of
\nforeign concepts that -- for the average student -- are hard to
\nswallow, rigid lesson guides that leave no room for creativity
\nand mostly passive students who shun their studies. Then there is
\nthe latest fad: student brawls.<\/p>\n
Important questions need to be addressed, such as do the
\nmajority of Indonesians really need science and technology? If
\nso, what kind of science and technology is appropriate for
\nIndonesia? Is development and modernization really necessary?
\nThese fundamental questions are seldom being discussed.<\/p>\n
Instead of developing a system of education that is based on
\na solid philosophical foundation, decision makers in the field of
\neducation seem to be more interested in devising an educational
\nsystem that can best serve the industry.<\/p>\n
The result is frustrated students who are more familiar with
\nalcohol and drugs than with books, alienated students who do not
\nhesitate to kill their friends when offended, or opportunistic
\nstudents who prefer to cheat to obtain goods grades rather than
\nwork hard to acquire the knowledge which is necessary for their
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
When these students complete their studies and -- for whatever
\nreasons -- the world of industry does not accept them, they will
\nbecome jobless educated young people who have no experience to
\nstart their own businesses.<\/p>\n
It is true that, to some extent, education needs to be linked
\nwith the realm of work. Young people should prepare themselves to
\njoin the workforce. For them, education (to a certain degree)
\ncan help ensure economic advancement and job security.<\/p>\n
However, what is meant by \"work\" here must not be viewed as
\nworking in the industrial sector only. There are many ways to
\nearn a living. Moreover, working is only one aspect among the
\nvarious aspects of human beings. There are still many other
\naspects that may also be developed through education.<\/p>\n
In addition, the biggest part of the population consists of
\nfarmers, fishermen and low-paid workers who earn their living
\nfrom both the formal and informal sectors. For the children of
\nthis majority, a system of education that is oriented towards the
\nscience and high technology of the affluent North is not that
\nsuitable. It is only appropriate for students who want pursue
\nstudies a university education.<\/p>\n
Most parents, however, do not have sufficient money to
\nfinance university education for their children. With the limited
\nability of the industry to accommodate the students who have
\ncompleted their studies, and with the scant availability of
\nup-to-date, quality science and technology curriculum at the
\nprimary and secondary education level, students will not be
\nprepared to work in the industrial sector. What makes matters
\nworse, their educational background does not teach them to be
\nexplorative, creative and innovative in dealing with life. Thus,
\nthe students are placed in an awkward and difficult position.<\/p>\n
The experiences of our neighboring countries may well
\nillustrate this point. Formal education in the Philippines and
\nIndia, which adopted Western educational concepts, has reached a
\nrelatively high level of quality. Unfortunately, this achievement
\nhas not been followed by a corresponding improvement in the
\nliving standards of the majority of the two countries'
\npopulations.<\/p>\n
Joblessness and poverty are still acute problems in the two
\ncountries. Also, in both countries, education to a certain degree
\neven contributes to the widening gap between the very affluent
\nminority and the poor majority.<\/p>\n
In a country like Indonesia, where a great portion of the
\npeople live and work outside the industrial sector, it seems more
\nappropriate to develop a model of education that is not geared to
\nthe western model, with its heavy emphasis on science and
\ntechnology.<\/p>\n
It is more reasonable to devise a system of education which
\npays attention to the most urgent practical needs of all the
\npeople, and especially to the needs of the students themselves.<\/p>\n
Maybe it is better to invite students to satisfy their
\ncuriosity, develop their abilities and talents, and pursue their
\ninterests. The teachers need only to guide them in exploring the
\nrichness and many possibilities of life. Once the students have
\nreached maturity and integrity, they will be ready to face life
\non their own.<\/p>\n
It seems appropriate today to discuss these fundamental
\nissues. We have been dwelling too long in the paradigm of
\ndevelopment. Ideas concerning development are good for election
\ncampaigns, but in terms of education, they obstruct rather than
\nenlighten students. Let's discuss the issues from the point of
\nview of the students, the parents, the teachers, and the overall
\nsociety.<\/p>\n
The writer is a school teacher living in Bekasi.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/education-needs-radical-review-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }