Curriculum in for a trimming to cut the workload of students
Curriculum in for a trimming to cut the workload of students
By Stevie Emilia
JAKARTA (JP): After working as a teacher for 35 years, Ratno
Hadi still thinks his job as an elementary school teacher is not
easy, and carries huge responsibilities.
He has to make his students understand every subject he
teaches. Unfortunately, the current 1994 curriculum is not on his
side.
"The curriculum aims too high... (it is) very idealistic, but
difficult to achieve," said the teacher from the state-run SDN
Selong 03 in South Jakarta. He teaches a range of subjects to the
sixth graders, ranging from math to bahasa Indonesia.
He drew attention to some "pointless" materials, such as those
used for math.
He said previously students could easily understand the
subject because it took practical examples from daily living,
such as those drawn from trading.
"But these days, elementary school students are taught about
curves or lines, which are hard for them to grasp," said Ratno,
who, also teaches in the afternoon at a private elementary school
SD Budi Wanita in Central Jakarta.
He also questioned why third graders should learn about stars,
or other objects from space in the subject earth and space.
"If you read the questions, you'll find that the subject's
questions are too difficult for the students to understand. They
might answer the questions as they like... I think it would be
better for the subject to be taught to fifth graders instead."
Just like other teachers, he is in a rush every year to meet
the curriculum's target, such as to finish teaching all six
graders' subjects two months prior to the final exam.
"We find no problem with it (the target). We hold a course two
days a week to help six graders catch up," Ratno said.
The number of complaints regarding the heavy curriculum
imposed on elementary to high school students have recently
mounted.
Some parents have complained about their children's workload,
both at home and at school. Among the complaints were the great
number of subjects taught at schools, substantial amounts of
homework and the long study hours.
For example, a second grader must learn a range of subjects,
including the state ideology Pancasila, Bahasa Indonesia, math,
local language, religion, health and physical exercises and art
and creativity.
As the student moves to the next grade, he or she must also
learn English, social sciences and natural sciences, further
contributing to their heavy workload.
Education expert H.A.R. Tilaar acknowledged the heavy burden
imposed by the present curriculum, which he referred as "too
good" leading to difficulty for teachers to implement it.
"But in my opinion, it's not the curriculum that matters. The
most important thing is to prepare those who will execute the
curriculum, like teachers. Are they ready?" asked the professor
from the Jakarta Teachers Training Institute and the University
of Indonesia.
Education, he said, was a determining factor to ensure the
country's success. Unfortunately, it did not receive the support
it needed in terms of funds and resources, he said.
He contributed Malaysia and Singapore's strong governmental
support as the reason for their successful educational system.
"That's what we don't have," Tilaar said.
He suggested the creation of teaching materials that were
related to the students' daily activities, such as the need for
discipline.
"In a bus, one is required to enter from the bus' front door
and get out from the back door. But every day, we see people get
in and get out from the front door. This happens because
discipline is not being taught at school. We prefer to teach
complicated matters instead...," Tilaar said.
Head of the Jakarta Ministry of Education and Culture Alwi
Nurdin blamed teachers inadequate teaching techniques.
"If the present curriculum is considered too strenuous, maybe
(there's something wrong) with its implementation ... Maybe it's
the teachers who don't have adequate teaching techniques, making
them think that all materials in every subjects should be
mastered by students," Alwi told The Jakarta Post.
He said a subject should be taught based on its purposes and
available time. "Good teachers will evaluate each subject,
finding out the purpose behind each subject and determining the
essential materials. (The correct method) is not by asking
students to memorize page after page. It's not like that."
But he believed that the present learning process would not
waste students' time. "Only there's a need for teachers to
evaluate (the material), to learn which learning material is
essential... "
Revision
The ministry is currently revising the curriculum in stages to
meet the present changes and future demands.
The ministry's Director General of Basic and Middle Level
Education Indra Djati Sidi said the program to revise the 1994
curriculum started last year.
The first stage of the revision is scheduled for
implementation in the 1999/2000 school term, which starts on July
19.
"We are only revising the curriculum, not completely changing
it. If we completely changed it, it means that we have to change
all the books and prepare the teachers. We're not ready for that
yet," he told the Post by phone.
"Besides, it will take sometime (to make the changes)."
Although the curriculum has not been completely replaced,
irrelevant and overlapping teaching materials would be dropped,
he said.
For instance, subjects that are taught at both elementary
school and junior high school will be scrapped.
"What we're trying to maintain here is continuity and a
compatible teaching process," Indra said.
He expected the streamlining of teaching materials would ease
the current burden experienced by students and teachers. "If we
completely change the curriculum, they will get confused."
He said one thing was a certainty: students' homework load
would be reduced.
"If at the moment students have to do homework for four
subjects... it's too much. It means that there's no coordination
between teachers. In my opinion, two hours a day for homework is
enough. If it's more than that, it will not give students time to
interact with their community, their friends and especially with
their own family."
When asked whether the problem resulted from teachers' efforts
to meet the curriculum target, he said: "Targets or goals are
good. The problem is, how teachers try to meet the targets. (It
requires) careful planning (and) consideration of the students'
ability."
Tilaar praised the endeavor to revise the current curriculum
in stages, saying he understood the difficulties of changing
curriculum quicky. But he urged the ministry not to simply boast
about the plan without planning its implementation.
"Don't just talk. We've seen too many times already that many
plans look good on paper, but lack careful preparation for their
implementation.
"The most important thing is to prepare those who will deliver
the curriculum, in this case, the teachers. It doesn't matter if
it's the 1994 curriculum or not, the most important thing is that
those who will perform it are ready."