Education is a fundamental pillar of human life, serving as the most\nbasic capital for individuals to socialise, pursue careers, and fulfil\ntheir roles as siblings or parents. All things require knowledge, and\nknowledge is attained through education. Education is a means to enhance\none\u2019s abilities to achieve desired success. Education is dynamic,\nadapting to the developments of the times and advancements in various\nfields. Similarly, the educational phases an individual undergoes are\ndynamic, corresponding to their developmental age. We now recognise the\nterm twelve-year compulsory education as the minimum standard for an\nindividual to pursue education. The latest curriculum terms these phases\nfrom Phase A (primary education) to Phase F (senior secondary level or\nequivalent).<\/p>\n
The direction of national education was once trapped in a period of\nstagnation for many years. Education was viewed solely through the\ngrades displayed on a report card, and graduation was determined only by\na single examination gate lasting three days. Previously, the cognitive\nor academic aspect was viewed with tunnel vision as the only\nprerequisite for an individual to be deemed competent. Consequently, we\noften heard legendary terms such as \u2018red marks\u2019 and \u2018mark inflation\u2019.\nSuch an educational process creates disparities among students. The\ngreatest concern is that teachers may fail to discover the potential\ngaps in students if they only view the cognitive aspect as the sole\nbenchmark. In reality, some students possess greater potential in other\nareas, such as linguistics or kinaesthetics.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, when discussing inclusion, some students are less\nfortunate. They may have disabilities or special needs\u2014we now use the\nterm \u2018special\u2019 for those who are less fortunate. This certainly requires\na more intensive approach than others. In the past, particularly before\nthe 2000s, the world of education paid less attention to their presence.\nEducation is a process of humanising humans. The current educational\nperspective does not rigidly place distance between one student and\nanother. As teachers, we hold the principle that each individual student\nbrings potential that can be developed, which in Ki Hajar Dewantara\u2019s\nphilosophy is referred to as the nature of the era and the nature of the\nindividual. The teacher is the guide for students to unleash their\ninherent potential.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education\u2019s current\nattention to inclusive education is a positive development from the\npast. As teachers, we welcome these humanistic steps from the ministry\nwith pleasure and a spirit of continuous learning and self-development,\nincluding how to become a teacher in the realm of inclusive\neducation.<\/p>\n
The Need for Inclusive Schools<\/p>\n
According to information released by the People\u2019s Consultative\nAssembly on 30 December 2024, the Directorate of Community Education and\nSpecial Education at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education\nrevealed that public perception surveys regarding understanding of\ninclusive education are only at 52%. Based on Dapodik data as of\nNovember 2024, the number of students with disabilities in Indonesia is\n341,282 individuals. Of this number, 162,118 are enrolled in special\nschools, while the remainder are studying in schools that provide\ninclusive education. There are approximately 40,164 schools\naccommodating students with special needs, yet only about 14.8% to 15%\nof the total inclusive schools have a Special Guidance Teacher.<\/p>\n
To be honest, the real figures in the field may be higher than those\nin the primary data. Why? There are several reasons for this, viewed\nfrom both the parents\u2019 and the schools\u2019 perspectives. First, many\nparents still feel ashamed to send their children to special schools or\ninclusive schools. Second, schools that are not officially inclusive\noften end up accepting these prospective students anyway. For public\nschools, building public trust is a way to survive, so they accept these\ninclusive prospective students.<\/p>\n
I am not fabricating this, as a primary school teacher in a remote\ndistrict, we receive inclusive prospective students almost every year.\nSpecifically, the inclusive prospective students who enrol at our school\nare those with intellectual disabilities. In fact, one of my sixth-grade\nstudents this academic year is already of junior secondary school age,\nyet we continue to guide and nurture them in primary school with\nsincerity, even though our school is not officially registered as an\ninclusive education provider.<\/p>\n
Based on that data and personal experience, it is clear that we still\nhave a significant amount of homework in the effort to implement\ninclusive education. All of us as teachers under the Ministry of Primary\nand Secondary Education must continue striving to improve public\nunderstanding regarding inclusivity, equality of opportunity in various\nfields, and the empowerment of persons with disabilities in various\naspects of life.<\/p>\n
Inclusive Education Strategy<\/p>\n
The number of special schools and schools providing inclusive\neducation is indeed not yet proportional to the number of inclusive\nstudents. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is addressing\nthis specifically by launching a teacher training programme for\ninclusive education starting in April 2026. The programme includes\nbasic, advanced, and proficient level training. According to the\nministry\u2019s official website, the material covers topics such as\nrecognising diversity, the importance of inclusive education, teaching\nstrategies, and classroom assessment. We appreciate these steps by the\nMinistry of Primary and Secondary Education towards realising quality\neducational services.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/inclusive-education-programme-a-new-paradigm-towards-educational-equity-1785329612", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }