Directorate General of Culture to join Ministry of Culture

JAKARTA (JP): Directorate General of Culture at the Ministry of National Education will merge with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Dec. 20, an official said on Tuesday.

"The decision was made (last October) after careful consideration and preparation. It is best for the directorate general (of culture) to develop with the new ministry," secretary-general of the Ministry of National Education Hidayat Syarief said.

The Directorate General of Culture consists of several divisions, among others, history and ancient civilization studies and historical artifacts.

"The historical studies and the other divisions related to education will remain the same, it will only be experiencing a structural transfer," Hidayat told The Jakarta Post later in the day.

Under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Directorate General of Culture will be divided into two offices.

Hidayat revealed that the current Director General of Culture, I Gusti Ngurah Anom, actually preferred to remain with the Ministry of National Education.

"But I told him that he would be in a better position to promote culture in the new ministry as in present ministry, educational affairs dominate cultural affairs," Hidayat said.

When asked why it was necessary to separate the Directorate General of Culture from the Ministry of National Education, Hidayat suggested that the journalists ask President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Director of history Anhar Gonggong, however, said he was ready to be stationed anywhere.

"Well, I'm a civil servant, so I will serve as best as I can," he told journalists earlier.

Both Anom and Anhar are tipped as candidates to lead the two new offices at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Previously, Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin had said that the education-related divisions such as history should remain with the education ministry as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism was "too business oriented".

The Ministry of National Education, however, also has an new department, the Directorate General for Youth and Sport as a result of a merger with the defunct ministry of youth and sport earlier this year. (edt)