'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