Education minister hails American standards
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)