Educational standard is not that poor<\/p>\n
RI's educational standard not that poor
\nAre educational standards improving or declining?<\/p>\n
Simon Marcus Gower
\nPrincipal
\nHarapan Bangsa High School
\nTangerang, Banten<\/p>\n
Pessimism, sadly, seems to consume much of the thought
\nprocesses of many an observer of Indonesia's education system.
\nFrom expressions of concern over ill-disciplined students,
\nfalling basic academic ability in schools, poorly paid and\/or
\ntrained teachers even through to corruptible teachers and school
\nadministrators, there seems to be a cacophony of complaints that
\nis liable to cause a headache for even the most impassive of
\nlisteners.<\/p>\n
However, should we accept such gloom and doom? Is it really
\nright to be weighed down by these complaints and fears for the
\nfuture of education in Indonesia?<\/p>\n
Certainly we cannot be idly dismissive of such problems but
\nequally we cannot allow them to so damage our outlook on
\neducation that we become down-hearted and even negligent in our
\nefforts to make things better. Some alternative perspectives are
\nuseful in this regard. This is not an attempt to gloss over
\nproblems and paint nothing but a rosy picture where, in fact,
\nthorn bushes are in evidence. But to cast a somewhat different
\nlight on the situation may help to create more positive thinking
\nand, in turn, more positive attitudes and efforts in addressing
\nexisting problems.<\/p>\n
For example, from the perspective of a little history
\neducation today can look quite different. Recently in a meeting
\nwith an owner\/ headmaster of a south Jakarta primary school this
\neducation professional of over fifty years of age noted, with
\nsome embarrassment that he does not speak good English. He
\nexplained that his problem with the language stemmed from the
\nfact that when at school he only had an opportunity to study
\nEnglish in the last two years of senior high.<\/p>\n
Too little, too late for him but at the primary school that he
\nnow administers all of his students are already studying English
\nand so are guaranteed both an earlier start and a longer time to
\nstudy the language.<\/p>\n
Similarly, an elderly gentleman of Bandung recently reflected
\non his pleasure at seeing so many students in that city. He
\nexpressed his pride in the fact that Indonesian's are \"becoming
\nmore and more and better educated.\"<\/p>\n
Here, then, from two historical perspectives education has
\nimproved. Both the depth and breadth of education has increased
\nmany times over. The nature of education has also been changing
\nand improving. More students today show an ability to apply
\nthought and thinking skills. The predominance of mere knowledge
\nacquisition is gradually being challenged by students that are
\nable to analyze and think for themselves; another positive sign.<\/p>\n
To constantly hold up a mirror and criticize (finding fault)
\nmay not be fair. To constantly refer to, often arbitrary, league
\ntables that suggest that Indonesia is near the bottom of Asian
\ncountries for education may not be fair either. If a level
\nplaying field could be guaranteed then such comparisons might be
\nfair but often other nations benefit from a far smaller school
\npopulation to be educated and far more available resources to
\nsupport such a smaller population.<\/p>\n
Of greater value then, perhaps, is comparison with like
\nexperiences; to see that problems in Indonesia are common
\nelsewhere, and so not be unnecessarily discouraged by them.<\/p>\n
First, a highly qualified teacher complained of new teachers
\nthat lack practical skills and enthusiasm for their subjects. He
\nclaimed that new teachers need better training and should be more
\ncarefully screened to ensure that they are really of suitable
\ncharacter to become teachers. What country was this teacher from?
\nNot Indonesia but Singapore. He has consistently found himself at
\nodds with the government education board there because of their
\n\"constant burdening of teachers and failure to encourage
\npractical creativity\".<\/p>\n
Next, take the example of a teacher complaining of having to
\nconstantly do remedial work with senior high students that
\nstruggle to \"construct grammatically correct sentences\". A
\nteacher that complains that \"many teachers tell children their
\nwriting is not good enough but fail to help correct and improve
\nthe children's writing.\"<\/p>\n
Again, is this in Indonesia? No, this example is an American
\nteacher teaching in an American school; yet many Indonesians
\ncould recount similar tales of woe.<\/p>\n
Thirdly, consider this teacher's experience. After working
\nhard at teacher training college she graduated with honors and
\neagerly took up her first teaching post. She soon found, though,
\nthat she faced a heavy workload -- with teaching, planning and
\norganizing and marking material and trying to meet curriculum
\ndemands.<\/p>\n
After six months she concluded that she was overworked and
\nunderpaid and so she left the teaching profession. She took up a
\njob as a Customer Relations Manager and quickly found she could
\nearn twice as much pay for far less stress. This too could have
\nbeen an Indonesian experience but instead it is actually a
\nteacher in England.<\/p>\n
The preceding examples illustrate problems that Indonesian
\neducation also has but they came from three countries that are
\nconsidered to have superior, if not leading, systems of
\neducation. Some may say \"well those leading education systems
\nhave facilities and finance to overcome such problems\". This may
\nbe true but they too encounter serious obstacles to their ability
\nto respond to such challenges. England for example currently
\nsuffers from its worst shortage of teachers in more than thirty
\nyears and 40 percent of new teachers in that country leave the
\nprofession within three years.<\/p>\n
People understandably worry about standards and the fear is
\nthat standards only decline in the face of such educational
\nmountains. But perhaps broader perspectives are needed. For
\nexample, in the space of two or three generations illiteracy has
\nbeen marginalised in Indonesia. The ongoing reviews and
\namendments to the national schools curriculum increasingly
\nexemplify a progressive move away from oppressive and heavily
\ndidactic modes of education towards more liberating and humane
\nguidance towards an educated populace.<\/p>\n
There can be no disputing the fact that major challenges
\nremain in educating Indonesia's great population but these
\nchallenges should be met with a steady and sturdy consciousness
\nthat they are a natural element of a developing nation and its
\ndeveloping education sector.<\/p>\n
Pessimism would leave us quaking and overwhelmed by the
\nchallenges but an appropriate professional optimism will allow us
\nto put the challenges in their place and design strategies that
\nwill ensure the continuance of educational improvement rather
\nthan meekly allowing for any potential decline to take over.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/educational-standard-is-not-that-poor-1447893297",
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