Education part of political party bond

Pendidikan Antisipatoris (Anticipating Education); Mochtar Buchori; Published by Kanisius, Yogyakarta, 2001,; 204 pp; Rp 23,500.

JAKARTA (JP): It is a pity that as a politician, Mochtar Buchori does not have the courage to spell out the vision and mission of a political party in the educational area. Neither does he touch upon what a political party should do.

In this book, Buchori's independence as an educational observer gives the impression that he is "hiding" from his brilliant ideas. He writes, "All views and opinions in this book are my own and are in no way related to my position as a member of the Central Advisory Council of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (Deperpu PDIP).

Buchori should discuss the political aspects of education. It is his position in the party which will enable him to explain more clearly what a political party's stance is on education. There has never been a detailed study on education from the perspective of a political party in Indonesia. We are curious, therefore, to find out whether a political party has ever paid attention to education as part of its commitment.

This question is relevant when it is placed in the present critical situation. Some people say that the present national crisis manifests from the failure of our education. This failure is the result of the disorder in our schools. Our schools are unable to explain their concerns.

The failure of leading national life has never been blamed on political parties, which often brag about political education. In reality, what they teach is the kind of education telling people how to look for an opportunity and obtain or even seize power. A party's political propaganda is always about how to win the general election. The political education that political parties offer does not make people mature in political practices. It does not even help them realize themselves as independent people. As a matter of fact, the essence of education is to help individuals grow in maturity to realize their existence as human beings.

It is this last item that has become the main idea that Mochtar Buchori introduces in this book. He wishes to see not only educational reform, but also educational transformation. Reform means returning to the basic plan of education which has been carried out for many years and therefore has the potential of repeating the same mistakes.

Transformation means moving to another system, which is fresher and more mature." We must gradually change the nature of our educational system... from the system of the industrialization era to that of the reform era."

His forward-looking ideas are expressed in the 12 chapters of the book. In the first chapter, he writes about Indonesian schools in their journey towards the 21st century. In the last chapter, he closes the discussion with social studies and humanities in Indonesia towards 21st century. It should be remembered that the articles compiled in this book were written between January 1996 and December 2000. Within this span of time, his attention was focused on education in 21st century and beyond. "We must consider the next two generations," he writes.

To this end, he has come up with at least four changes that must be introduced if we are really serious in undertaking educational transformation.

First, reform in the personal value system. This concerns what personal values we uphold in our common life. Second, reform in the group value system. This is related to the values that one jointly adopts in a group. Third, reform in the national value system, which is connected with the basis of our national life and statehood. Fourth, to narrow down the gap between the actual value system and the textual value system. This has to do with various kinds of incompatibility between expectations and reality. Or, more definitely, integrity.

Buchori lays great emphasis on the urgency of formulating an educational system that is forward-looking in its orientation. Education should not be intended to serve short-term interests. In his opinion, education must be able to anticipate all future possibilities. As an educational practitioner, he knows, only too well, the real problem in the educational sector and therefore knows what changes must be introduced.

At this juncture he describes educational problems in relation to the rate of changes that have taken place in the global value system. He writes about the sociocultural demands of globalization. Buchori, who is also a consultant for the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), USAID and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) also reminds the readers of the importance attached to promoting a nation's technological capacity through education in mathematics and natural sciences. As a lecturer at Hamka Muhammadiyah University, he demands that a university should possess both professionalism and humanism.

In his foreword, Sindhunata comments, "Buchori stands firm with classical educational views and values: the formation of a human being, not the formation of a worker or a breadwinner, which is the ultimate goal of education, for which there will be no compromise, in whatever age."

This book is necessary for those who care about education and the protracted crisis gripping this country. Furthermore, the book is of greater usefulness because its reflections help us to return to our essential existence as human beings.

--AA Kunto A, a student at the School of Social and Political Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, and a journalist at Basis magazine, Yogyakarta.