Megawati eats her words, signs education law<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri has put the acrimonious debate
\nover the national education bill behind her by signing the bill
\ninto law.<\/p>\n
Her signature on July 8 enacted Law No. 20\/2003 on the
\nnational education system, which has met with resistance in
\nseveral provinces ever since it was approved by the House of
\nRepresentatives on June 11.<\/p>\n
\"Of course, there are some articles that need to be
\nimplemented through government regulations, but basically the law
\nhas taken effect,\" Cabinet deputy secretary Erman Radjagukguk
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Even without Megawati's signature, the bill would have
\nautomatically taken effect 30 days after its approval by the
\nHouse. Since assuming power, Megawati has refused to sign three
\nbills, namely those on broadcasting, finance and labor
\nprotection, also due to public controversy.<\/p>\n
Megawati's decision to sign the education system bill raised
\nthe eyebrows of her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) legislators, whom she had instructed to stall the
\ndeliberation of the bill.<\/p>\n
She later summoned one of the PDI Perjuangan faction leaders
\nto thank the legislators for complying with her instruction.<\/p>\n
The House endorsed the bill in the absence of all PDI
\nPerjuangan legislators, who had demanded that its approval be
\ndelayed.<\/p>\n
\"We stand by our position that the law should be further
\npromoted to the public,\" one of the party's members told the Post
\nunder the condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n
The controversy over the law centers around an article
\nrequiring schools to provide religious instruction for students
\naccording to their faiths. Opposition to the stipulation comes
\nmostly from non-Muslims.<\/p>\n
Many observers and practitioners critical of the law have said
\nthat the legislation paves the way for too much government
\nintervention in national education and fails to respond to global
\nchallenges facing the country.<\/p>\n
Provinces in eastern Indonesia like North Sulawesi, East Nusa
\nTenggara and Papua have asked the central government to allow
\nthem to disregard the law.<\/p>\n
Some schools in East Nusa Tenggara have requested the
\nestablishment of the Indonesian Education Watch to ensure that
\nstudents can exercise their rights.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that the organization would provide legal aid
\nto ensure fair and just implementation of the new legislation.<\/p>\n
East Nusa Tenggara's Catholic Education Board (MPK) chief
\nHerman Abatan said that the watchdog would be declared on July
\n22.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-eats-her-words-signs-education-law-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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