'Civic Education launched'

'Civic Education launched'

YOGYAKARTA: In a bid to help accelerate the development of democracy in Indonesia, the country's second-largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, has published a textbook,Civic Education, for students at Muhammadiyah universities across the nation.

Chairman of Muhammadiyah Ahmad Syafii Maarif officially launched the 454-page book on Thursday at the organization's headquarters in Yogyakarta, attended by other Muhammadiyah executives, lecturers of local universities and activists from local non-government organizations with special concern on education.

Speaking at the launch ceremony chairman of Muhammadiyah's assembly for higher education, research and development Zamroni said that publication of the book was prompted by the lack of civic education in universities, especially as the controversial P4 (Pedoman Pendidikan dan Pengamalan Pancasila, or guidance for the education and application of Pancasila) was annulled some years ago.

"The type of civic education we have developed is not monotonous or one-way, but is instead a dynamic, learning process that will help students seek the characteristics that contribute to upholding democratic values, as a preparation for entering the democratic world," Zamroni said. --JP