'Super schools' making inroads into RI society<\/p>\n
By Mochtar Buchori<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): I am using the term \"super school\" here as a
\ntranslation of the Indonesian term 'sekolah unggul', a name chosen
\nby the Ministry of Education and Culture to denote schools which
\ncarry out a \"quality education\" program. I was told that this
\nterminology was especially chosen to avoid the use of the term
\nsekolah elite (elite school) which in the opinion of the
\neducation bureaucracy contains a negative connotation, i.e. being
\nexclusive and arrogant.<\/p>\n
I have been involved during the last three or four months in a
\nnumber of discussions about the problems of developing \"super
\nschools\" in Indonesia, and from this involvement I have learned a
\nnumber of things. I have learned, among other things, that there
\nare four questions or problems about \"super schools\" that are
\nhitherto still unresolved.<\/p>\n
These four questions are: first, the question regarding the
\nessential characteristics of \"super schools\"; second, the
\nquestion concerning the basic difference in curriculum between
\n\"super schools\" and ordinary schools; third, the question
\nconcerning whether or not \"super schools\" should necessarily be
\nexpensive; and fourth, questions about the exclusive character of
\n\"super schools\": is it an inherent feature? I have also learned,
\nin addition, that in spite of all the criticism that has been
\nleveled against existing super schools in Indonesia today, the
\nnumber of groups within our society which wish to have their own
\n\"super schools\" has been increasing.<\/p>\n
It is not only the super-rich groups which have been active
\ndeveloping their own \"super schools\". Groups which are not so
\nrich are also considering setting up schools of their own. I have
\nlearned, for instance, that the PSKD group (The Association of
\nChristian Schools in Jakarta) is planning to develop such a
\nschool right in he middle of the city, in the Menteng area. The
\nMuhammadiyah group is also considering setting up one \"super
\nschool\" in each province. If this is not possible yet, they will
\nstart with five \"super schools\" in this country.<\/p>\n
What is it that has makes the \"super school\" idea so
\nattractive? My guess is that more and more parents in our society
\nare longing for a kind of education for their children which they
\nthink cannot be provided by Indonesian schools today. Those who
\nare well-to-do, who work and live in a net of national and
\ninternational environments, want their children to become fluent
\nin Indonesian and English at the end of their high school
\neducation. They also want their children to acquire functional
\nliteracy in science and technology; have knowledge about
\nIndonesian history, at least modern Indonesian history and also
\nbe sufficiently skilled in computer technology.<\/p>\n
Parents like this do not believe that our schools today can
\nprovide such an education. Parents who are not so rich, but still
\nwant a good education for their children are looking for schools
\nwhich can provide good cheap education. These parents also do not
\nbelieve that our schools today are capable of providing such
\na service. Education at our schools today is cheap all right, but
\nit is not good. Not as good as they want it to be.<\/p>\n
\"Good education\" to these parents means education which
\nteaches their children to speak and write in Indonesian without
\nmaking syntactical mistakes, to understand ideas and feelings
\ncommunicated in both written and spoken English, to have a basic
\nunderstanding of science and technology, to appreciate beauty
\nconveyed through various media of art and enable them to pursue a
\nprosperous and respectable life.<\/p>\n
Surely it must be possible to have such education without
\nhaving to pay outrageous tuition fees. These parents do not need
\nschools with luxurious facilities. What they need is schools
\nwhich are modest but dignified, managed by good teachers and with
\na decent library.<\/p>\n
Is this rush towards \"super schools\" a good or a bad sign?
\nOpinions differ concerning the meaning of this phenomenon. On the
\none hand there are those who regard this as a good sign. They
\nthink that the existence of \"super schools\" in our society will
\none day bring about a crop of well-educated people in our work
\nforce, which will boost our economic development. In addition,
\nyoung people graduating from such schools will certainly
\nconstitute a social force capable of strengthening democracy in
\nour society.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, there are those who think that \"super
\nschools\" will exacerbate social and economic discrepancies that
\nalready exist in our society. These \"super schools\" will be
\naccessible only for children from the privileged classes.
\nDeveloping \"super schools\" thus only means giving more privileges
\nto those already privileged.<\/p>\n
Which opinion is closer to the mark.<\/p>\n
I do not think a general answer to this question is possible.
\nIn the end the answer depends upon the way a \"super school\" is
\nmanaged. A \"super school\" designed and managed in the true spirit
\nof \"quality education\" will, I think, bring benefits that will
\nfar outweigh the negative side effects. On the other hand, a
\n\"super school\" designed and managed in a way that emphasizes
\nexclusiveness and elitism will quite probably encourage part of
\nits students to develop an elitist attitude in their adult life
\nlater on.<\/p>\n
In light of this problematic situation, I think it is
\nimperative that the four basic questions mentioned above be
\nresolved as wisely as possible, and as soon as possible. For this
\npurpose clear guidelines must be provided concerning how each of
\nthose four questions should be approached and handled. It should
\nbe mentioned in this regard that every \"super school\" school
\nworthy of the name will inevitably develop its own philosophy,
\nits own personality. There can be no uniformity, and especially
\nno forced conformity, among schools that really offer \"quality
\neducation\".<\/p>\n
Attempts must thus be made to clarify matters which today are
\nstill controversial. It is therefore imperative to come to a
\nhealthy agreement concerning those basic guidelines, all
\ncontradictory views must be openly stated, scrutinized, and
\nevaluated. And discussions about matters of this kind must be
\ntreated as intellectual and professional discourses, and not
\nbecome a pedantic monologue by know-all bureaucrats disciplining
\na bunch of rowdy educational adventurers.<\/p>\n
In all frankness, we must admit, I think, that this \"super
\nschool\" idea is still new to most of us. We must also realize
\nthat there is more than one model for a good and viable \"super
\nschool\" in Indonesia. Experiences in other countries about
\n\"quality education\" show the possibility of this healthy
\ndiversity.<\/p>\n
Finally, we must always bear in mind that in the end really
\ngood education requires creativity on the part of the educators.
\nAnd this is hard to generate in an environment which constantly
\nrequires absolute conformity and does not allow critical
\nscrutiny and independent judgment.<\/p>\n
The writer is an observer of social and political affairs.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/super-schools-making-inroads-into-ri-society-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }