Wardiman hails W. Java reading session campaignd<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman
\nDjojonegoro has applauded the decision of the West Java
\nprovincial legislative council to schedule mandatory reading
\nsessions for its employees.<\/p>\n
\"The initiative reflects their need to enhance their work
\nperformance,\" Wardiman said yesterday.<\/p>\n
He was referring to a program of regularly scheduled reading
\nsessions, twice a week, for civil servants at the secretariat of
\nthe West Java legislative council. Compliance would result in
\nfurther career advancement, Republika reported yesterday.<\/p>\n
The daily quoted Redjaningrum Rahmat, head of the secretariat,
\nas saying that employees have to spend at least 30 minutes
\nreading on Tuesday and Friday. \"The secretariat staff members
\nneed adequate knowledge so that they can support the legislative
\ncouncil leaders and members in making the best decisions,\"
\nRedjaningrum said.<\/p>\n
In addition, the employees have to make written reports about
\nthe titles and content of the books that they read.<\/p>\n
Wardiman said such action was needed to generate interest in
\nreading among civil servants and he hoped the reading program
\nwould be initiated elsewhere in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He said that for most Indonesians, reading was of lower
\npriority than watching movies or dining out.<\/p>\n
\"Civil servants seeking books from the library of National
\nInstitute of Sciences and the National Library are showing their
\nefforts to improve the quality of their knowledge and skills,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Wardiman said professionals from various fields always tried
\nto make time to read despite their busy schedules because of the
\nimportance of keeping abreast of the latest developments in their
\nprofessions.<\/p>\n
However, head of the National Library Mastini Hardjoprakoso
\nsaid the reading program for civil servants would not necessarily
\nguarantee the intended results.<\/p>\n
She said the civil servants' busy work schedules, access to a
\nlibrary and availability of books related to their work must also
\nbe taken into consideration.<\/p>\n
The number of people participating in reading programs was
\nusually limited, Hardjoprakoso said, and often the participants
\nwere only guided in what books to read.<\/p>\n
The reading program would normally only be implemented at a
\nregional level rather than nationwide, she said.<\/p>\n
Hardjoprakoso said that ideally government offices should have
\ntheir own working libraries for employees to use but these were
\nfar and few between. She named the well-stocked National
\nInstitute of Administration library as an example of a good
\nlibrary.<\/p>\n
Escalating paper prices, budgetary constraints and ignorance
\non the part of administrative heads, in spite of an available
\nbudget, hampered the possibility of improved reading habits among
\ncivil servants, she said.<\/p>\n
She said parents must instill in their children good reading
\nhabits early on in order to improve their academic performance.
\nThis was a better option than instilling reading habits in civil
\nservants who are already adults, she said. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wardiman-hails-w-java-reading-session-campaignd-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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