Expert slams superschools for teaching too much

JAKARTA (JP): Respected education expert Conny R. Semiawan said Saturday most superschools in Indonesia have no clear educational concepts.

Connie, a professor on education at Jakarta Teachers' Training College (IKIP), said the burgeoning of super senior high schools develops no clear-cut concepts.

She said superschools should not just be schools which teach more subjects than the state curriculum has set and offer luxurious facilities to students.

"If that is the case, the students will not learn much at schools," Connie told some 100 participants of a seminar on education in Indonesia.

Many superschools, however, tend to feed their students a lot of subjects, she said. "It's not good for the students, the schools make them memorize all the subjects without encouraging creativity," she said.

In fact, she said, subjects that encourage children to develop their creativity are essential, she said.

"The students have to observe, interpret, conclude and anticipate their surroundings. This is important to make them able to make decision in the future," Connie said.

Connie said that superschools are expected to give a good education to gifted children and find education concepts, such as curricula specially designed for gifted children.

Gifted children need special attention, she said. "It's not true that children with high IQs can always perform without special attention," Connie said.

The one-day seminar, titled Love Children, Love Education. Analysis to Super Senior High Schools, was organized by Madania Islamic Boarding School's foundation.

Other speakers at the seminar were noted Moslem scholar Nurcholish Madjid and Arief Rachman, principal of the Lab School of IKIP Jakarta.

Nurcholish defended Connie's opinion. Superschools spring up because there is a strong tendency among parents to seek good education for their children, she said.

"This tendency can't be denied. Superschools should not only provide luxurious facilities, but they should also be aware of the need for special education for gifted children, for example," Nurcholish said.

Nurcholish suggested boarding schools provide better education for children. "In a boarding school, children are managed by their teachers 24 hours a day," he said. (31)