Messy education budget

Professor Surya in his comment on education in the Pikiran Rakyat, Oct. 20, 2000, states that the Indonesian budget for 2001 is the lowest in the world. Ki Supriyoko's question Is education important? (Pikiran Rakyat, Oct. 18, 2000) supports the comment, implying that he is cynically against the government's policy on education. Supriyoko further questions the government's decision not to increase the education budget given the fact that they are aware of the pivotal role of education in the long-term national development.

I also would like to add some ideas on the relationship between education and globalization as stated by Rose and J. Nicholl in 1997 in the introduction of their book titled Accelerated learning for the 21st century: "The world is changing at an ever-accelerating pace. Life, society and economy are becoming ever more complex. Jobs are disappearing at an unprecedented rate. It is an age of uncertainty."

Realizing all these elements, it is inevitable that education, which is the breadwinner of nation building, is such an important factor in the survival of a competitive world of globalization. Otherwise Friedman calling Indonesia a messy state may imply particularly the educational field.

ODO FADLOELI

Bandung