The nine-year education program<\/p>\n
The late Raden Mas Soewardi Soerjadiningrat, known as Ki
\nHadjar Dewantara, was an Indonesian hero who pioneered the
\nnational education system.<\/p>\n
Born 85 years ago and a descendant of Yogyakarta's royal
\nfamily, Paku Alam III, he realized that education was the only
\nway to enhance the people's standard of living. As a result of
\nhis beliefs, he built the Perguruan Taman Siswa college on July
\n3, 1919.<\/p>\n
Besides being a minister of education when Indonesia became an
\nindependent nation, he was also the chairman of the Educational
\nLaw Committee that reformed Law No. 4\/1950, establishing the
\nbasic educational curriculum from elementary to senior high
\nschool.<\/p>\n
Because of his achievements, the government named his date of
\nbirth, May 2, National Education Day.<\/p>\n
This year National Education Day is being honored by the
\nlaunching of a nine-year compulsory education program, which
\nobliges every Indonesian child to study until grade nine. No fees
\nare attached to this program, which intends to increase the
\nquality of human resources and to answer the challenge of
\nglobalization.<\/p>\n
Critics and scholars have warned the government about the
\nnegative impact of the program saying it will drive out the
\nprivate schools and that it is too early to launch such a program
\nbecause the proper school facilities for grade seven to nine are
\nnot available.<\/p>\n
But all of those criticisms did not stop Minister of Education
\nand Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro from enforcing this policy. He
\nsaid that the show must go on. At the same time we are improving
\nthe system.<\/p>\n
This program, indeed, will be a long journey, but perhaps it
\nwill further Ki Hajar Dewantara's dream.<\/p>\n
-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-nine-year-education-program-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }