Human rights education in schools
It seems that the public discourse on human rights is gaining in scope and momentum. For example, a rather extensive discussion on the subject was held at a symposium on Saturday in Jakarta. Unlike earlier intensive discussions, which often link human rights with the practice of democracy, this latest exchange organized by ICMI (the Indonesian Association of Moslem Intellectuals) focused on a more concrete aspect of the issue: how human rights can be taught in schools.
This proposition is not a simple one. Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro, for example, reminded the audience that the teaching of human rights in schools cannot be started soon, for at least two reasons. First, which human rights concepts should be taught? And second, what is the format that human rights education should take in our education system?
Those two fundamental questions appear to be based on the consideration that disparities have occurred in the discourses that have been held so far as well as in the various regional and international human rights charters. For example there is the question of the universal nature of human rights and the different views on this principle must be implemented.
However it would seem that it would take too much time as well as thought to try to arrive at a complete consensus on this matter. It would be more practicable -- if the idea is to become a shared commitment -- to place the emphasis on the common aspects of the subject, aiming to instill in our children the principles of healthy community life.
What we need to establish a more equitable society, is for integrated -- rather than fragmented -- steps to be taken to give the public a greater understanding in matters of human rights. Human rights education in schools, therefore, should be seen as one of those integrated measures. For that purpose, a willingness to improve our grasp of human rights is demanded of all of us, and for this reason the need for education in human rights applies to all of us.
-- Republika, Jakarta