Minister starts new education program despite problems<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman
\nDjojonegoro is determined to start the nine-year compulsory
\neducation program on May 2 despite major problems in the
\neducation system such as lack of schools, books and teachers.<\/p>\n
\"We have to be optimistic about the new program and have faith
\nthat we will overcome those obstacles step by step. After all the
\nprogram will take 15 years,\" said Wardiman at the press
\nconference yesterday.<\/p>\n
He added however that the compulsory education program could
\nbe finished five years earlier if there is enough money left in
\nthe budget.<\/p>\n
The nine-year compulsory education, which will replace the
\ncurrent six-year program, will provide children between 7 and 12
\nwith a basic education consisting of six years in elementary
\nschool and three years at the junior high school level (SLTP).<\/p>\n
\"This program gives hope for the future by producing educated
\npeople who will increase the quality of human resources in this
\ncountry,\" Wardiman said.<\/p>\n
The minister explained that the most pressing problem was
\nfaced in SLTP, because there are only 26,124 schools all over
\nIndonesia that can accommodate only 6,8 million students out of
\n12 million. Text books are inadequate, and the government's
\nability to hire teachers is limited.<\/p>\n
\"Our first priority is to provide books,\" Wardiman said.<\/p>\n
High quality<\/p>\n
Meanwhile the head of Book Center Office of the Ministry
\nEducation and Culture said recently that around 25 million copies
\nof books have been printed and will be distributed all over
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The other problem is teachers who are overworked and using
\ninefficient teaching methods which fail to produce high quality
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
\"There are many teachers who have to find part time jobs,\" the
\nMinister said.<\/p>\n
He urged school organizers to support the program by providing
\nadditional classes and high quality education. \"There are
\nstudents of the government-owned SLTP who have been given
\nscholarships, and this is part of our effort to attract people to
\ngo to school,\" Wardiman said<\/p>\n
The government also provides other alternatives to formal
\neducation for those who do not have time to go to school, such as
\nan open SLTP and study groups that are available in certain
\nareas.<\/p>\n
Wardiman called on parents to educate their children by
\nsending them to formal school because the number of children who
\ndo continue their education to SLTP is relatively low, only 66.6
\npercent.<\/p>\n
However, the number of children who undergo the six years of
\ncompulsory education is 94 percent.<\/p>\n
\"The reasons are because schools are far away and education is
\nstill considered expensive, especially in poor villages. Also,
\nmany children have to work to help their parents,\" said Wardiman.
\n(01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/minister-starts-new-education-program-despite-problems-1447893297",
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