Experts warn of antisocial behavior in 'Super Class'
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Education experts and psychologists have called on people behind Jakarta's Super Class project to anticipate a possible imbalance in personal development among students selected to sit in the program.
They also urged proponents of the program to include other subjects, including social responsibility and human and religious values, in its curriculum.
"It is common for very brilliant children taking intelligence acceleration programs to experience an imbalance in their psychological development as they do not grow as other normal children do mentally, though, their intellectual development excels," education expert Mochtar Buchori told The Jakarta Post.
He said that many gifted children put in special programs become solitary and feel alienated by their communities.
In some extreme cases, he added, those students often become offensive as in the case of Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh, 27, who set off a truckload of explosives in the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995. The bombing killed 168 people and injured 500 others.
"He (McVeigh) was reported to be a smart guy with antisocial behavior who grew up with little interaction with society," he said.
He asserted that the manifestation of such personality imbalance could be less offensive or milder, but it was still definitely antisocial.
"That's why I hope the people involving in the project are able to anticipate possible adverse impacts on the students to ensure that they also grow as emotionally-balanced persons, while at the same time grow as creative and contributive scientists who understand well actual situations in their society."
The DKI Super Class is a program for exceptional students in Greater Jakarta in which they are awarded free education with a chance to be coached as international Science Olympiad candidates.
The idea of the Super Class was floated by noted scientist Yohanes Surya, the person behind the success of several students who won International Science Olympiads recently.
Among the requirements for the students admitted to the Super Class is an intelligence quotient (IQ) of over 150.
Meanwhile, a psychologist with the University of Indonesia, Farida Haryoko urged the inclusion of "social, human and religious values" in the curriculum taught in the Super Class program.
"We don't want to let the students become freaks -- people who cannot interact with others despite their intellectual brilliance," she told The Post.
She emphasized that only scientists, who have soundness of mind as well as a balanced personality, could deliver a real contribution to the society and nation.
"Of course, the government should also pay greater attention to them by giving a decent reward. Otherwise, we have to let them work with private companies which are willing to provide higher pay since the scientists' expertise is needed for their business," she said.