The dilemma with compulsory education<\/p>\n
Darmaningtyas, Center for the Betterment of Education,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The nine-year compulsory education program was launched in
\n1994 with optimism that it would be fully implemented by 2004.
\nSeveral indicators supported that optimism, such as the country's
\nhigh economic growth rate, the government's financial capacity
\nand the spirit of other stakeholders.<\/p>\n
However, the economic crisis that struck in July 1997 ended up
\nas a multicrisis. As a result, all parties, including the
\ngovernment, were uncertain about when the program would be
\nimplemented. The World Bank, which only focuses on macro-aspects,
\nwas incapable of predicting real conditions, while the
\ncommunities involved were just ignored.<\/p>\n
Now under the sway of regional autonomy, the nine-year
\ncompulsory education program is becoming ever more problematic,
\nwith a questionable future as the central government and regional
\nadministrations shirk their responsibilities.<\/p>\n
No clear division of authority has been drawn up to determine
\nwhich party is most accountable for the completion of this
\nprogram: the central government or the regions. The central
\ngovernment always claims it has turned over educational affairs
\nto the regions, through the General Allocation Fund (DAU) it
\nprovides. The regions keep complaining about the DAU, describing
\nit as too small to finance education.<\/p>\n
The various issues now accumulating could further worsen the
\nnational education system, and unless these issues are promptly
\ndealt with the nine-year compulsory education program could
\nbecome trapped in limbo.<\/p>\n
These issues include the numerous damaged elementary school
\nbuildings, teacher shortages, limited facilities and a dwindling
\npublic capacity and willingness to finance education. Conversely,
\nsome state primary schools and private secondary schools are
\nclosed due to enrollment downturns.<\/p>\n
These issues are playing out all over the country, in both
\nrural and urban areas. The root cause of this educational
\nquandary lies in bureaucracy and funding.<\/p>\n
Buildings are the biggest issue, with no less than half of the
\nprimary schools (SDs) in Indonesia being damaged in various
\ndegrees of severity.<\/p>\n
Based on research on elementary education in Madura, with the
\nsupport of the aid organization Oxfam GB, the situation on this
\nEast Java island may reflect the general situation of basic
\neducation outside Java.<\/p>\n
Administratively, Madura belongs to the territory of East
\nJava, with Surabaya, the second largest city in the country, the
\nprovincial capital. Yet Madura's primary education is no better
\nthan that in other regions, with poor participation and
\nachievements, poor infrastructure and facilities, and a
\nconsiderable scarcity of teachers.<\/p>\n
Crumbling school buildings, acknowledged by local executive
\nand legislative officials, can be found in Bangkalan regency,
\nwhere 15 percent to 20 percent, or 101 to 135 of 678 primary
\nschools, have collapsed. Repairing these buildings would cost
\nover Rp 100 million, and the local administration can only repair
\nfive to seven primary schools a year.<\/p>\n
In Sampang regency, 400 of 589 primary school buildings are
\ndamaged and 80 other schools now have no buildings, forcing
\nschoolchildren to attend classes in villagers' homes or mosques;
\nin Pamekasan regency, 40 percent of schools are severely damaged.<\/p>\n
In all, ruined school buildings are easier to find than well
\nmaintained ones.<\/p>\n
Sampang has sustained the most neglect because its political
\nleaders have been in constant conflict, leading to neglect in
\neducational matters. Meanwhile, Sampang is Madura's regency with
\nthe greatest number of refugees from Sampit, thereby increasing
\nits socio-economic burden.<\/p>\n
Madura also faces a shortage of teachers, with many primary
\nschools having only three to four plus a school principal.
\nIdeally, one primary school should have six teachers, two more
\nteachers for religion and sports, a principal and an errand boy,
\ntotaling 10 staff members in all.<\/p>\n
In one public elementary school in Pancur, Ketapang, Sampang
\nregency, a lack of teachers has led to a delivery man joining the
\nteaching staff.<\/p>\n
The poor condition of buildings and the scarcity of teachers
\nhave prompted locals to send their children to Islamic schools,
\nor madrasah. But the educational quality in the madrasah is not
\nfar different because of limited facilities, which force children
\nto write on classroom floors. And most of the teachers are
\nsecondary school graduates, thus failing to meet the
\nqualifications for the primary level of madrasah.<\/p>\n
But teachers at this level are adequate and observe
\ndiscipline, in contrast to those at public elementary schools.
\nHowever, the level of general knowledge is higher in public
\nschools, given the greater weight placed on religious education
\nin Madura's madrasah.<\/p>",
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