BP-7 told to mend course methods

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methodology as boring and out of date.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)