Human rights education in schools

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