House expects to release new education bill this month<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Rekindling hopes of a better education for the nation's
\nchildren, lawmakers plan to release a new education bill later
\nthis month, promising greater authority for schools and the
\npublic to decide what and how students learn.<\/p>\n
The bill's release will come against the backdrop of
\ncontinuing debate over the country's changing education system.<\/p>\n
Legislators expect to complete the bill by May 26, according
\nto an official at the Ministry of Education.<\/p>\n
\"They (legislators) will still have to discuss it with the
\ngovernment at various working meetings,\" said Ibrahim Musa, a
\nconsultant to the now defunct Education Reforms Committee.<\/p>\n
The committee was in charge of drafting the bill before
\nlegislators took over the job. If enacted, it would replace the
\n1989 education law.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim said the new bill reflects the implementation of
\nregional autonomy, which began in 2001. However, its main goal is
\nto reform the education sector, he added.<\/p>\n
One of its ground-breaking features will be to give schools
\ngreater authority in managing their own affairs.<\/p>\n
\"The government provides the national curriculum, schools
\ndecide how they are going to achieve it and with what books,\"
\nIbrahim explained.<\/p>\n
According to him, this concept has been widely accepted by
\nboth schools and parents whom the government has sought comments
\nfrom.<\/p>\n
An important indicator of the direction of the reforms can be
\nfound under the bill's chapter defining the purpose of national
\neducation.<\/p>\n
In the latest draft, Ibrahim said, the purpose was to develop
\nthe potential of a learner to become a person of good character,
\nwho is healthy, knowledgeable, creative, aesthetic and
\ndemocratic.<\/p>\n
The revised purpose is far shorter than the present one,
\nmaking it less demanding and more achievable.<\/p>\n
It is also the summary of various opinions compiled by the
\nNational Education Commission. The commission seats education
\nexperts, academics, religious leaders, economists and public
\nrepresentatives.<\/p>\n
The country's education sector has lost its direction since
\nthe reform era emerged, following the downfall of Soeharto in
\n1998.<\/p>\n
As the nation braces a multitude of changes, it has become
\nclear the 1989 education law is no longer fit to cope with them.<\/p>\n
Despite efforts to provide an agreeable redefinition of the
\npurpose behind the national education system, the gap in opinion
\nremain vast.<\/p>\n
Conflicting ideas on the issue are common and the debate
\nremains a heated one among experts of the same field.<\/p>\n
Education expert J.P. Drost said every time the government
\nwanted to change its education policy, critics killed the
\ninitiative.<\/p>\n
This time around, he said, the government lacked clarity over
\nwhat its new policy meant and where it was leading to.<\/p>\n
He also suggested the state should not meddle too much in
\ncharacter development as it was unsuitable for classroom
\nteaching.<\/p>\n
\"The purpose of education should be to develop people's
\npotential and enable them to mature so they become competent in
\nwhatever field they choose,\" Drost explained.<\/p>\n
Education expert Arief Rachman shared a different point of
\nview. He said education should focus on developing character and
\nknowledge.<\/p>\n
\"Mathematics, physics and so on are of course important, but
\nthey should not become the leading benchmark. Personality is more
\nimportant,\" he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-expects-to-release-new-education-bill-this-month-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}