Education vs. capitalism

Education vs. capitalism

From Tempo

The battle between educational idealism and capitalism
continues, involving such issues as the exchange of a school
building in Jakarta, the construction of an agribusiness center
on the campus of Bogor Institute of Agriculture and the planned
town square near the campus of Brawijaya University, Malang.

The question is: Does idealism in the world of education have
to clash with capitalism? Professing a need to secure a return on
capital invested within the shortest possible time, capitalism
has entered education.

Consequently, there are instances of school principals
obliging students to buy particular textbooks to benefit from
publishers' bonuses, and universities opening special enrollment
channels in order to impose high student admission fees.

Meanwhile, various appeals for the pursuit of educational
ideals have been ignored, though education is the right of all
citizens, with or without access to capital. At present,
education is expected to produce a return on capital for whoever
wishes to invest in the field.

The school of medicine, for instance, charges high entrance
fees and yet lots of new students are still interested to enter.
These students, too, expect a return on investment within a
shorter time than their peers in the school of agriculture can
achieve.

A very tough struggle is needed to change this paradigm
because the majority of Indonesians are under the influence of
capitalism. Even the government, with power under its control,
appears to be helpless and yields to the capitalist climate,
making the excuse of fund limitation.

Trying to make peace with capitalism may be the proper
approach before further compromising with it, in view of
objective realities today. The next important thing to consider
is what steps should be taken for a postcapitalist society,
because this situation should not be endless.

M. FASHIHULLISAN
Malang, East Java