Govt will press ahead with education bill: VP<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Palu, Central Sulawesi<\/p>\n
Vice President Hamzah Haz says the government has no plans to
\namend the controversial bill on the national education system,
\narguing that the draft was in line with the newly amended
\nConstitution's spirit of improving the intellectual capacity of
\nIndonesian people.<\/p>\n
Hamzah, who is on a two-day visit to Central Sulawesi
\nprovince, including the former conflict area of Poso, said on
\nTuesday that the government was confused as to why certain
\nquarters had rejected the bill.<\/p>\n
\"The government does not understand why many quarters oppose
\nthe bill since there is nothing wrong with the draft,\" Hamzah
\nsaid before thousands of students from the Al Hairaat Muslim
\neducation foundation, religious leaders and local officials in
\nPalu.<\/p>\n
Thousands of teachers and students took to the streets of
\nJakarta last week to voice their rejection of the draft, which,
\naccording to them, mandates state intervention in religious life.<\/p>\n
Experts have particularly pointed to Article 12, which
\nrequires religion-based private schools to provide religious
\neducation teachers for students of other religions.<\/p>\n
\"Requiring schools, including religion-based schools, to
\nrecruit religion teachers and provide places of worship for their
\nstudents is based on the human right of all citizens to receive
\nreligious education,\" Hamzah said.<\/p>\n
The education bill, which was drafted by the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR), is currently being deliberated by a House
\ncommittee.<\/p>\n
If endorsed, all schools, be they Muslim or Christian, will be
\nrequired to recruit teachers of other religions and provide
\nprayer rooms for students of other religions to ensure they
\nreceive religious education and can perform their religious
\nduties during school hours.<\/p>\n
These new requirements will particularly affect Christian
\nschools, which are attended by many Muslim students.<\/p>\n
Education experts and observers have questioned the draft,
\narguing that religious education should be provided by parents,
\nfamilies and religious institutes, rather than by educational
\ninstitutes.<\/p>\n
Former president Abdurrahman Wahid has urged the government to
\ndrop the bill as based on the Constitution the government and the
\nstate have no authority to interfere in religious life.<\/p>\n
\"Through the Constitution, all elements of society have agreed
\nthat Indonesia is not a religion-based state. Religion and the
\nstate must be separated. The government has the obligation to
\nprovide facilities so that all religious communities can practice
\ntheir own faiths and create harmony,\" he said last week.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-will-press-ahead-with-education-bill-vp-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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