Educational expert says 1994 curriculum too tough
Educational expert says 1994 curriculum too tough
JAKARTA (JP): An expert on education warns that the new school
curriculum introduced nationwide last year is so tough that only
a handful of students are likely to make it through.
The 1994 curriculum should be simplified in order to enable
more students to reach and pass through the junior and general
senior high school levels, Father J. Drost S.J. said on Thursday.
"The new 1994 curriculum is very thorough. If it is fully
implemented maybe only 50 percent to 60 percent of elementary
school children will be eligible to enter junior high, and only
30 percent of junior high students will be able to enter general
senior high school," Drost said during the dedication of new
facilities for St. Laurensia School.
He warned that under the new curriculum, between 40 percent
and 50 percent of children finishing elementary school and 70
percent of the students finishing junior high school will be
forced to drop out of the general education schools and enter
vocational schools where the curriculum is simpler.
The new curriculum was introduced at the start of the 1994-
1995 academic year in July, at the same time as the launching of
the nine-year compulsory school program.
It integrates elementary and junior high school educations
into a nine-year program, allows schools to pack local subjects
into the education package and cuts down the number of compulsory
subjects taught at both grade and secondary schools. The
curriculum is currently being implemented on a trial basis at
junior high and general education high schools.
Drost considers the 1994 curriculum as compelling school
principals to impose a tighter selection system when enrolling
students.
"This in turn will produce 'favorite schools' consisting of
state and private schools which impose a tight selection system
and are therefore more difficult to enter," he said.
Knowledge
Suyudanta SJ, principal of Canissius High School, pointed out
that schools must not only be capable of providing students with
packages of knowledge, but must also be able to stimulate the
students' ability to express and analyze the contents of the
courses given to them.
"Teachers should not stop at feeling gratified after they have
transferred knowledge to their students. If their job is limited
to this, students will only be capable of memorizing something,
while in fact they should also be able to express and comment on
what they have received," Suyudanta said.
He said that school curriculums should only be considered
instruments for teachers.
He was concerned at the fact that many teachers think that the
more study materials are given to students, the more intelligent
they will become. "This is wrong," he said.
"The major shortcomings of schools are that they do not follow
an orderly method in the teaching and learning process. Schools
only act as communicators of the basic stages of knowledge, when
in fact they should develop the analytical and expressive skills
of the students," Suyudanta said. (pwn)