BP-7 told to mend course methods

JAKARTA (JP): The Agency for Pancasila Propagation was advised yesterday to invigorate its course methodology or keep on boring people with its dry lectures on the state ideology.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono suggested the agency scrap its conventional teaching techniques which critics say are no longer appropriate.

"It is high time the agency innovated and became the center for research and development of Pancasila," Moerdiono said when installing Alwi Dahlan as the new agency chief.

Political observers have described the agency's propagation methodology as boring and out of date.

Taking the Pancasila course is obligatory for Indonesians of practically all spheres, from Junior High School students, journalists to senior government officials.

Moerdiono suggested the agency also seek ways to preserve local culture which is threatened by foreign culture due to the free flow of global information.

"The agency should be able to provide answers to problems, such as foreign thoughts incompatible to the state ideology," Moerdiono said.

Alwi Dahlan replaced Soeprapto, who has arrived at the mandatory retirement age of 65.

Born in the West Sumatra capital of Padang, the American- educated Alwi spent almost of his 30-year career in the field of education.

The first Indonesian to hold a Ph.D degree on Communication from the Illinois University, Alwi served the first four years of his career training senior military officials in social and political as well communication sciences.

He was a senior editor of several publications and a former aide of the state minister for environment, where he worked for fifteen years before joining the agency. (imn)