Education minister hails American standards

JAKARTA (JP): New Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin has dreams of taking the educational experience for students in the country to new heights.

After officially taking over on Monday from predecessor Juwono Soedarsono, Yahya, a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, talked enthusiastically of the need for Indonesian students to match American standards.

He said his ministry would work to promote ethical values at all levels of schooling, so that, like their American counterparts, Indonesian students from elementary schools to universities would "perform their best both academically and ethically".

Yahya said parents and schools should join forces to encourage students to implement moral values in their daily life.

"We could learn from students in the United States and other developed countries who are intelligent and maintain respect for their teachers," he said.

Yahya said that the promotion of ethical values could also keep students from using drugs and involvement in street brawls.

To support his bid to enhance student ethics, Yahya said he would ask schools to promote reading as a leisure time habit.

He ruled out replacement of the present curriculum, saying he would instead improve the material to support government efforts to produce conscientious students.

"There is no need to establish a new curriculum, because to me it's more important to create an environment where students can study and develop their ethics," he said.

Yahya was named a minister in President Abdurrahman Wahid's Cabinet while he was serving as a cultural attache at the Indonesian Embassy in Washington D.C.

As a former lecturer at Gadjah Mada University for more than two decades, Yahya said that improving student's mastery in basic sciences would be a priority of the ministry.

"Students from elementary school to university have to excel in basic sciences such as culture, mathematics, physics and chemistry to enhance their creativity," he said.

The minister expressed little confidence in regional autonomy over education.

"I have read research sponsored by Gadjah Mada University that of 300 regencies across the country, only five of them are prepared for the new (autonomy) status."

Yahya acknowledged the pivotal role of local governments in developing elementary schools, but he argued that the name given to the ministry was a clear sign that education matters would remain under the central government's control.

When asked about the separation of the cultural affairs directorate general from the ministry, Yahya said the issue had to be first discussed with the President.

"But I expect that all staff who worked for the former ministry's cultural affairs directorate general could stay with us."

President Abdurrahman has not yet informed employees at the culture division of their fate.

Three other former ministers of education and culture -- Fuad Hasan, Wardiman Djojonegoro and Wiranto Arismunandar -- attended Monday's ceremony.

Outgoing minister of education and culture Juwono has been appointed minister of defense in the new Cabinet. (04)