Evaluating teachers

Evaluating teachers

From Media Indonesia

I watched part of the AN-teve talk show hosted by Eko
Syahrudin who interviewed Prof. Sarjono Jatiman and Prof.
Achmady. At the end of the discussion, it was said the education
sector should be capable of forming students who are ready to
take on professional responsibility in the widest sense. It was
also mentioned that the lack of development in education is the
teachers' curbing of the students. Consequently, the freedom of
students to develop their creativity has been impeded.

I think there is no teacher who thinks that he is the
smartest, the most intelligent in the school. The opinion
mentioned above is very naive. In reality, a teacher should
always allow their students to ask about matters still unclear to
them. Often the teacher gives additional tuition to clarify
problems.

I would like to ask Prof. Sarjono and Prof. Achmady how far
they have researched the capacity and class attitude of teachers
so as to reveal to the public their conclusions regarding
teachers' feebleness in transfering knowledge to students and
teachers' authoritarian attitude which curbs students'
creativity.

I humbly look forward to their response. I am proud to be a
teacher though only in a grade school. There is no denying the
limitations of teachers. After all, they are only human.

In my opinion, the professors' conclusion is exaggerated and
needs to be rethought. Even if the evaluation is meant to be
constructive, is the pettiness among teachers that critical?
Anyway, it will not slacken our enthusiasm to take an active part
in education.

R. BUYUNG SOHUTIHON

Jakarta