Education bill debate may be prolonged

Education bill debate may be prolonged

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives and the government will likely need
more time to bridge their differences over three points in the
national education bill.

Lawmakers are scheduled to meet on Monday to seek a compromise
on the three controversial points: the wording of the bill's
introduction, the function and role of the national education
system, and religious instruction in the schools.

"I hope the negotiations on Monday will help resolve the
difference among the factions and between the House and the
government," Chodidjah HM Saleh, deputy chairperson of the House
education commission deliberating the bill, told The Jakarta Post
on Saturday.

Chodidjah, of the United Development Party (PPP), said all
nine factions on the commission had reached an agreement on the
three contentious issues, but Minister of National Education
Abdul Malik Fadjar had objections.

She added that whether or not the bill was endorsed as
scheduled on June 10 depended on the education minister.

Several legislators from the National Awakening Party (PKB)
have expressed objections not only to the three contentious
issues, but also to several other articles in the bill they say
could threaten national unity.

Taufiqurrachman Saleh and Rodjil Gufron, two outspoken PKB
legislators, speaking after a party meeting here on Friday, said
their faction would only support the bill if all of the
controversial articles in it were resolved unanimously.

Both legislators said it was necessary to prevent the state
from interfering in religious matters, which they said Article 13
of the bill on religious instruction in the schools amounted to.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
faction has threatened to walk out of any plenary meeting to
endorse the bill unless there are changes made to the disputed
articles.

Anwar Arifin of Golkar, meanwhile, is optimistic, saying
legislators and the education minister had found common ground
and their differences were expected to be resolved shortly.

"We will have more meetings with the minister next week,"
Anwar told the Post.

Legislators and the government have been divided over the
wording of the introduction of the bill, which emphasizes the
government's responsibility to protect and educate its citizens.

The two sides have been unable to reach agreement on the
function and role of the educational system.

Legislators are also at odds over religious instruction in the
schools. Both Chodidjah and Anwar said they had not received any
instructions from the PKB faction about this issue.

"We have asked for an explanation from the faction," Anwar
said.

There has been much debate over plans to bring the education
bill to a House plenary session on June 10 for endorsement.

Those opposing the bill say it allows for state intervention
in religious matters, while those supporting the bill say it
helps promote religion pluralism.

Muslim organizations have called on the House and the
government to endorse the bill, while non-Muslim organizations
and schools have called on the House to drop the bill, which they
say is a threat to national unity.