Education experts call for greater school autonomy

Education experts call for greater school autonomy

JAKARTA (JP): Education experts called on Tuesday for greater
autonomy for schools to allow them to employ their own teaching
methods without being hampered by rigid guidelines that often do
not correspond with local conditions.

It is through such freedom, they said, that basic national
curriculum standards can be reached.

"We all agree that a basic national curriculum must be
retained, but the schools must be given a free rein to implement
their own methods in complying with the standard curriculum," Ki
Supriyoko, the chairman of the Yogyakarta-based Taman Siswa
education foundation, said during a seminar here on the national
school curriculum.

Schools have their own experience in teaching pupils and the
government should trust them, he said.

"Therefore, rigid guidelines for teaching and requirements
from what to teach to what books to read, should no longer be
imposed," he said, adding that "such guidelines only hamper the
creativity of teachers and of the whole learning process".

Supriyoko further said that schools such as Taman Siswa,
Muhamadiyah and Catholic schools already had proven experience in
the education field and therefore were entitled to employ their
own methods to meet national curriculum standards.

"The central government's only function here is as a
regulator. For instance, the curriculum says that English must be
mastered in junior high school.

"Each school must be able to meet this requirement, but let
them have their own ways to fulfill the requirement without being
stifled by having to follow the guidelines," Supriyoko said.

Taman Siswa will meet in Yogyakarta in March with its Java and
Sumatra chapters to discuss the possibility of developing their
own lessons and teaching materials, Supriyoko said.

He also said local administrations were not ready to manage
education programs under the regional autonomy framework,
pointing out there were no clear regulations to guide them.

"Law No. 22/1999 says education will be handled by the
regions, but government regulation No. 25/1999 says the central
government will regulate the national curriculum ... so,
basically, it is confusing," he said.

Education expert J. Drost agreed, saying regional autonomy
also would result in unintended consequences for the education
field.

"Schools must have a greater say in education and in meeting
the national curriculum. How many regents do you think are smart
enough to handle such complicated issues?" he remarked.

"In Banten there is even a case where some 12 people cannot be
promoted as teachers simply because they are not Banten natives.
It's crazy! Regional autonomy is about sharing authority, not
about ethnic pride," Drost, who is a former principal of the
prestigious Canisius High School, told The Jakarta Post. (edt/02)