Education cannot be shut off from international influence

Simon Marcus Gower, Jakarta

Debate about the development of schools, school policies and general schooling systems for nations will, (it seems reasonable to suppose), continue for as long as there are schools. Indeed such debate is probably a reasonable and logical part of such development. But debate about educational development in Indonesia quite often turns to the question of private schools and in turn the influence of "international" education.

Evidence of this "debate without end" could be found in the pages of this newspaper recently. Some parties have been expressing doubts about the international influence on education in Indonesia, whilst others have been coming to its defense. But one wonders whether there really is an "argument" here at all. Internationalism in education is practically unavoidable and, in our times if not indeed in all times, an essential component of making education worthwhile and valid.

To think of the alternative is to practically think the unthinkable. Any school, anywhere in the world, that wishes to be relevant and useful in preparing its students for time in university and/ or a career has to look at both what has happened all around the world and what continues to happen in our world today. To fail to consider the thoughts and actions of the world's great philosophers, scientists, artists, leaders and so on would simply be to fail to offer the education that students today both deserve and need.

But there are those that might suggest that this is not the crux of the problem as "international" education is increasingly introduced to Indonesia. They might suggest that the problem lies with having different systems of education, thought and curricula introduced that are, in some sense, usurping the position and role of Indonesian education and educators. Whilst concern is understandable, such concern should not extend to being overly and even overtly cautious to the extent that one precludes the capacity and even the possibility of integrating other ways and means of doing things.

The word "integration" here seems to be something of a keyword and also a rather vital component of educational development. Being able to look at and assimilate the best aspects of education from around the world is surely both a valid and valuable exercise for educators -- no matter what country they may come from and this would include so called "developed" countries too.

There are no easy, quick-fix answers for educational problems but the retention of an open and inquiring mind surely helps and will bring new ideas and processes to the field of education. To close one's mind and simply conclude that some odd notion of "educational sovereignty" has to be retained at all costs may be simultaneously limiting and damaging to development.

The criticisms that abound regarding the educational process and outcomes in Indonesia should not be allowed to overwhelm and so undermine prospects. They should rather be the spur, the incentive to further actions and this too legitimizes the approach of looking at international modes and methods of education.

Those that criticize Indonesia's schooling system for its often overly dogmatic and rather indoctrinating approaches and excesses that may consistently lead to shallow thought and obedience that is near thoughtless, do so most often based on their own experiences of the weaknesses in schools in Indonesia and this has and continues to be a spur to action.

The extent of this "spur to action" has been so great that the rise of private schools has been accompanied by the rise in the pursuit of international systems and approaches to education. One example of this would be the manner in which many schools seek to implement an international system of education such as the International Baccalaureate. Schools in Indonesia are by no means alone in looking towards such international systems, as they are applied in scores of countries all around the world.

Also, we might do well to consider that international programs are not solely in the domain of private schools in Indonesia. It is now a fact that national, government run schools are now implementing international programs such as the International General Certificate of Secondary Education which is sourced and guided from Cambridge in the United Kingdom. This kind of implementation very directly shows us that internationalism in education is already a reality in not just private schools but also public government run schools.

Perhaps there would be those that would consider this inappropriate but again it surely illustrates integration of systems that can provide fruitful partnerships for educational development; and we ought to consider the fact that it is already happening. The reasons for it already happening could be looked at negatively as being the product of frustrations with the existing system but might more positively be looked at as the product of the pursuit of development. If solutions exist elsewhere, why not pursue them?

To simply answer that question with an emphatic "no, we should develop ourselves, alone" would be to reveal a degree of naivete that really should not pervade educators' thinking. Education is a process of imparting knowledge and nurturing skills and talents that allow students to be active and productive in the world; the knowledge needed is knowledge of the world and the skills and talents to be enhanced through education must surely be those that would assist the students survive and succeed in an increasingly competitive and challenging world.

The prolific American author Louis L'Amour wrote in his autobiographical memoir Education of a Wandering Man that "Knowledge is like money: To be of value it must circulate, and in circulating it can increase in quantity and, hopefully, in value." Knowledge, then, needs to be "circulated" and how better could it possibly be circulated other than through schools?

Knowledge, like education, knows no borders; it cannot be "kept out" by borders or claims of national sovereignty. Education should be, (needs to be), developed that allows students to gain the ability to use knowledge through their application of skills -- such as critical thinking and organizational skills -- to help in the circulation of knowledge and adding to its value.

The author L'Amour, who obviously played a central role in his own education and held strong views on education, noted that among his greatest teachers were the writers that he read. He noted the likes of a "poor stonecutter" from Athens, Greece named Socrates and a "journeyman writer" from Stratford-upon-Avon, England named Shakespeare, were among his best teachers. L'Amour, an American, like so many of us had learnt from figures from around the world. They were not of his nation but their learning transcended nationalism.

This is true of education and learning -- it truly does transcend nationalism and when we consider education targeting the high ideals of educating people to think, we see that internationalism is both necessary and logical. Integrating the thoughts of others into our own thoughts is quite normal and acceptable. When this is done on the international level, it truly opens a world of learning up for us and the world becomes a central part of our school -- as is surely right and proper.

The writer is Principal of Raffles International Christian School, Pondok Indah, South Jakarta.