Educators, politicians must cooperate<\/p>\n
Simon Marcus Gower, Principal, Harapan Bangsa High School,
\nTangerang, Banten<\/p>\n
Anywhere around the world, where a reasonable representation
\nof democracy exists, politicians will gladly campaign for
\nelection on the basis of their education policies and
\ninitiatives. It is seen as a vote winner for a politician to be
\nable to speak well on education matters and more specifically be
\nable to show the voting public that he\/she has a
\nvision for education.<\/p>\n
Of course politicians don't always deliver on their promises
\nbut the priority that they give to education in their campaigns
\nspeaks of the importance that they recognize education holds.
\nThis kind of political interest in education is entirely
\nappropriate. Politicians and politics by definition have to be
\noriented towards what they will do both now and in the future.<\/p>\n
Through their election and party manifesto, politicians have
\nan obligation to speak to the public about their plans and offer
\nup those plans for both public scrutiny and hopefully public
\napproval through electoral victory.<\/p>\n
Politics is, again by definition, centered around public
\naffairs in general and there should be no more greater nor
\nsignificant public affair than the provision of education.<\/p>\n
Some suggest that education should be free from the
\nmanoeuvrings of politicians and that to allow politicians to
\ninfluence education too much is to invite hazards and conflicts.
\nPoliticians, so it is said, will play with education like a
\npolitical football; hoping to gain approval and votes whilst
\npotentially kicking the \"education ball\" all out of shape and so
\nleaving a terrible lack of policy continuity.<\/p>\n
Certainly there are hazards in having political involvement
\nbut we have to be consistent and realistic in our appraisals of
\nwhat politics and politicians can contribute to the system and
\nprocess of education. Politics inevitably infiltrates all systems
\nof education.<\/p>\n
This is natural and understandable. In so many facets of any
\nschool administration or curricula there is room for, and
\ninevitable input of, politically sanctioned or influenced
\nthinking. Take the subject of history in Indonesian schools. To
\nan outsider it is immediately obvious that this subject is
\nsignificantly shaped and molded by political thinking, and even
\npolitical constraints.<\/p>\n
This creates a potential condition in which much of
\nwhat may be learnt in history in Indonesia has a very definite
\npolitical bias that illustrates political involvement. The same
\ncan probably be said of very many other nations and the manner in
\nwhich they teach history within their schools.<\/p>\n
But perhaps this kind of political infringement into education
\nwill become increasingly evident. With the end of the New Order
\nregime and so an apparent freeing up of society and public
\naffairs it is quite likely that aspects of history will in turn
\nand in time be rewritten.<\/p>\n
It is, of course, to be hoped that they would be rewritten to
\nmore neutrally represent what really happened and not be coerced
\ninto some extension of propaganda. But in rewriting history what
\nis actually happening is a political act. As a direct consequence
\nof changed, and changing, political times what Indonesian
\nstudents are studying and learning has to also change.<\/p>\n
It is possible to think of other subjects that may easily be
\nseen to reflect and be influenced by political thought. How, for
\nexample, can any student possibly study economics without being
\nexposed to political thought?<\/p>\n
A student of economics has to consider the capitalist system;
\nhas to consider the international monetary system and the effects
\nof globalization and so, inevitably, is studying and developing
\nan understanding of political thought and an appreciation of
\npolitical theory and philosophy.<\/p>\n
Similarly, any student of geography has to consider both the
\nphysical and political geography of our world. In coming to know
\nof other nations and gaining an appreciation and hopefully some
\nunderstanding of their cultures students are, again inevitably,
\nentering into the world of politics.<\/p>\n
Because, after all, nations are mostly defined and bordered on
\nthe basis of political delineation and their cultures may be
\ndistinctly influenced and even defined by their political
\nhistories and\/ or their political thoughts and philosophies of
\nthe time.<\/p>\n
In years gone by many education systems would have been
\ngrounded in theories of indoctrination. It would have been seen
\nas entirely legitimate and even appropriate for governments to
\nlead and insist upon certain requirements of the school system;
\nno matter whether they be academic in orientation or more
\npoliticized. One only needs to think of the Hitler Youth Movement
\nof Nazi Germany to recognize the extreme dangers of polarizing
\neducation within the political sphere and allowing a process of
\nindoctrination to take over.<\/p>\n
But thankfully we live in more enlightened times and
\nindoctrination can less and less be seen as a goal or function of
\neducation. Indonesia is experiencing an opening up of its
\neducation system and this fits well with modern theories on what
\neducation should be and should potentially be achieving. In an
\nenlightened and democratic society education represents a great
\ngift and great opportunity for both current and future
\ngenerations.<\/p>\n
Education is essentially about opening up horizons for
\nstudents; opening their hearts and their minds to the great
\npotentials that they hold within themselves and the great wonders
\nin our world. With greater enlightenment and a greater sense of
\ndemocracy in our systems of education, all people have a role to
\nplay in fostering and developing education.<\/p>\n
This, then, means that many parties have a voice -- from the
\nstudents, to parents, teachers, principals, curriculum designers,
\non and across to employers and politicians that inevitably have
\nan interest and a responsibility for encouraging an educated
\npopulace. The participants in education should be varied and
\ndiversified in what they can bring to the education table.<\/p>\n
Certainly we need guardianship to ensure that politicians do
\nnot reduce education to a political football which they willfully
\nplay around with, scoring points off each other. However, through
\ngreater democratic and shared responsibility for education,
\nchecks and balances on the potential excesses of participants
\nbecome endemic.<\/p>\n
We should neither fear nor preclude participation from any
\nparties. Inclusion and motives of betterment should guide us all
\nin our educational development.<\/p>",
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