Government told to refocus on education trilogy

JAKARTA (JP): The celebration of National Teacher's Day and the 55th anniversary of the Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) on Saturday was marked with a call to refocus on the teaching of the big three of morals, science and technology and reading.

"It is time for us to wake up from the crisis and improve our education system," Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin said in a written address carried by state television station TVRI.

Teachers, along with parents, are the moral patrons of children, he said.

"What we say and do affects our children, therefore we have to set concrete and good examples for them. This includes not using violence or forcing our will on others," Yahya said.

Earlier, the minister called for improvements in the quality of education, and less stress on subjects such as ideology and civics.

The ministry's main aim now is a substantial improvement in the quality of elementary and secondary education. The same also goes for universities, he said.

Yahya said elementary and secondary schools should concentrate on three main elements, namely morals, writing and reading, as well as basic sciences such as mathematics.

Elementary and secondary school students do not require too many lessons on ideology or civic affairs, he said.

"They need a dynamic curriculum that fits their needs and contains lessons that can help them master basic knowledge and sciences," Yahya said.

Separately, PGRI chairman Muhammad Surya said improving the welfare of the country's some 2.2 million teachers was still a major concern.

"So far, 1.6 million teachers have joined PGRI. We are glad that the current administration and the House of Representatives (DPR) are much more sensitive to this issue," he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

"PGRI and the ministry are in the process of drafting a bill on the rights and protection of teachers. We hope to submit the draft to the DPR early next year," Surya said.

Also, in accordance with the International Day Against Violence Against Women, which also falls on Nov. 25, Surya said PGRI, the Office of the State Minister of Women's Empowerment and the Ministry of National Education had formed a cooperation to teach gender awareness in the schools.

"The most important thing is for teachers to use the right method to promote an equal relationship between males and females. We don't have to change the textbooks since it would be too expensive.

"Simple, concrete examples are important to children. Teachers must give equal opportunity to boys and girls, as basically men and women are only different in a biological context, not in their mental capabilities," Surya said.

National Teacher's Day will only be officially commemorated on Sunday at Merdeka Palace in a ceremony scheduled to be presided over by President Abdurrahman Wahid. (edt)