'RI' education system creates a stupid nation'<\/p>\n
By Lela E. Madjiah<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has a lot to be proud of. Though still
\nclassified as a developing country, it planted one foot in an
\narea once dominated by advanced countries when its first wholly
\ndomestically produced airplane, the N-250, made its maiden flight
\non Aug. 10, 1995.<\/p>\n
It is now preparing the next generation of planes with more
\nsophisticated technology.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Indonesia earned international commendation for its
\nfood program achievements, which transformed Indonesia from the
\nworld's biggest importer of rice to a nation with a self-
\nsufficiency in rice by the mid-1980s. Indonesia has also earned
\nthe world respect for its success in curbing the population
\ngrowth.<\/p>\n
The success list can go on forever, so when one of the
\ncountry's intellectuals blasts the nation as \"stupid\", in spite
\nof all the country's achievements, something might be very, very
\nwrong.<\/p>\n
\"As a nation we are becoming more and more stupid and have to
\nstart all over again. (Intellectually), we are back to 1900,\"
\nsays Yusuf Bilyarta Mangunwijaya.<\/p>\n
Popularly known as Romo (Father) Mangun, the Roman Catholic
\npriest-cum-freedom-fighter-cum-architect-cum-literary-man cites a
\nlist of examples to explain his concerns.<\/p>\n
\"The suggestion that we issue a law on religious tolerance is
\nan example of our stupidity. What modern country will regulate
\nsuch a thing as religious tolerance?\" he argues.<\/p>\n
The proposal came a day after the Oct. 10 Situbondo incident,
\nin which five people died when a mob attacked several churches
\nand Christian schools in the East Java town.<\/p>\n
Government officials and analysts have since come up with
\ndifferent theories to explain the incident. Most agree that
\nreligious tolerance is the main, if not the only, issue behind
\nthe incident.<\/p>\n
However, Romo Mangun believes that religion is never the
\nissue.<\/p>\n
\"Religious tolerance is never a problem in Indonesia, among
\nthe people. It is something that has always been there,\" he says.<\/p>\n
\"There was no such a thing as the burning down of mosques or
\nchurches during the Dutch colonial times, or under the Japanese
\noccupation, or during the independence war. There were no
\nchurches or mosques burned down during the Old Order period, or
\neven during the communist domination. Logically, there must have
\nbeen a lot of churches and mosques burned down during the
\ncommunist heyday. No, the burning of churches and mosques is not
\na religious problem, it is the problem of the New Order,\"
\ncomments Romo Mangun, a prominent community leader in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
According to Romo Mangun, religious conflicts can be
\nfabricated or accidental. Either way, the outcome is always
\nhazardous to the general public and may become a boomerang to the
\nschemer, he warns.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's reaction to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize
\nto East Timorese separatist leader Jose Ramos Horta, is another
\nexample of the nation's stupidity, he says.<\/p>\n
\"We should have questioned ourselves: 'Why did the prize go to
\nHorta?' There must be reasons. Instead, we accused the Nobel
\nCommittee of politicking, that it (favored) friends,\" he says,
\nadding that Indonesia's stance on Horta's prize was shameful.<\/p>\n
\"And it is another proof that our intellect and objectivity
\nare at the lowest end,\" he declares.<\/p>\n
Romo Mangun blames the nation's stupidity and low level of
\nintellect and objectivity on its educational system.<\/p>\n
\"We have to be honest with ourselves, that what we have are
\nnot schools in the true sense of the word. What real schools we
\nhave are an exception. Our schools are nothing more than a
\ntraining place, where teachers are not real teachers but
\ninstructors, bureaucrats, tamers or even commandants. Our
\nchildren are not students, but little political cadres,\" the
\nformer lecturer at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta laments.<\/p>\n
The result of the current educational system is obvious.
\nIndonesians are getting more and more stupid.<\/p>\n
\"Not just the children or university students, but our leaders
\ntoo. They make stupid statements, which culminated in their
\ncomments on the Nobel Peace Prize,\" says Romo Mangun.<\/p>\n
Student brawls, too, are the result of the country's poor
\neducational system. Brawls are students' way of expressing their
\ndiscontent with the system.<\/p>\n
\"Student brawls occur everywhere in the world, but what
\nhappens here are not brawls in the fair sense of the word. They
\nare criminal acts. Why? This is because students are frustrated
\nwith the system but cannot do anything about it. So, they smash
\ncars and destroy buildings. As long as the system remains, such
\ncriminal acts will continue,\" he warns.<\/p>\n
Aware of the problem, Romo Mangun has started a nine-year
\nexperimental primary school in Central Java, aimed at helping
\nchildren from poor families.<\/p>\n
\"We started two years ago, and hopefully by the end of the
\nexperiment -- seven years from now -- this little research will
\nhelp us arrive at a conclusion of what constitutes a proper
\nprimary education, especially for poor children,\" he explains.<\/p>\n
Romo Mangun believes that changing the situation calls for a
\nrevolution in the educational system, particularly in elementary
\nschool.<\/p>\n
\"I believe in the slogan -- it's a slogan, don't take it
\nseriously -- that it doesn't matter if the university education
\nis rotten, but primary education should be of high quality.\"<\/p>\n
Quoting Socrates, he says the aim of (primary) education is to
\nhelp every child give birth to the \"eternal truth\" which is
\nalready within him or herself.<\/p>\n
\"All of us are nothing more than midwives who help children
\ngive birth to the wisdom, intelligence and skill which already
\nexist within them,\" he explains.<\/p>\n
He warns that only fascist and communist countries try to
\n\"create\" children according to their will.<\/p>\n
\"But you see for yourself how fascist and communist countries
\ncrumbled,\" he points out.<\/p>\n
Another major problem in the current educational system is the
\nranking system, in which children are recognized through their
\nacademic achievements.<\/p>\n
\"Once a child ranks in class, he or she is subjected to
\n'abuses' because their parents will force them to maintain their
\nranks, send them to courses, and prevent them from being
\nchildren,\" says Romo Mangun.<\/p>\n
The fact is, Indonesian parents have been \"abusing\" their
\nchildren for 30 years.<\/p>\n
\"How can children become intelligent when they are abused? An
\nabused child will not become smart, he or she will be weak,\" he
\npoints out.<\/p>\n
He says he can guarantee that children who rank first in their
\nclass are not the most intelligent. The most intelligent children
\nare usually ranked lower, fourth or seventh or even eleventh.<\/p>\n
\"This is because they find the system boring but realize that
\nthey have to go through it. So, they do what their teachers
\nexpect them to do, but half-heartedly, and turn to other sources
\nto enrich themselves,\" he argues.<\/p>\n
\"To me, the happiest children are those who don't give a damn
\nabout the ranking system,\" he adds.<\/p>\n
Romo Mangun notes that pushy parents, who force their children
\nto rank high in class, are consumed by the fear that their
\nchildren may not survive in today's competitive environment if
\nthey do not rank first on school. They teach their children to be
\ncompetitive. The various children's contests that now exist are
\nevidence of the efforts to instill competitiveness in children.<\/p>\n
\"Life is not just about competition. Competition is
\ndestructive. Children are destroyed in competition. We should not
\nteach our children to be competitive. Instead, we should teach
\nthem solidarity, for only through solidarity will a child be able
\nto fully develop his potentials,\" he maintains.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-education-system-creates-a-stupid-nation-1447893297",
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