Minister starts new education program despite problems
JAKARTA (JP): The Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro is determined to start the nine-year compulsory education program on May 2 despite major problems in the education system such as lack of schools, books and teachers.
"We have to be optimistic about the new program and have faith that we will overcome those obstacles step by step. After all the program will take 15 years," said Wardiman at the press conference yesterday.
He added however that the compulsory education program could be finished five years earlier if there is enough money left in the budget.
The nine-year compulsory education, which will replace the current six-year program, will provide children between 7 and 12 with a basic education consisting of six years in elementary school and three years at the junior high school level (SLTP).
"This program gives hope for the future by producing educated people who will increase the quality of human resources in this country," Wardiman said.
The minister explained that the most pressing problem was faced in SLTP, because there are only 26,124 schools all over Indonesia that can accommodate only 6,8 million students out of 12 million. Text books are inadequate, and the government's ability to hire teachers is limited.
"Our first priority is to provide books," Wardiman said.
High quality
Meanwhile the head of Book Center Office of the Ministry Education and Culture said recently that around 25 million copies of books have been printed and will be distributed all over Indonesia.
The other problem is teachers who are overworked and using inefficient teaching methods which fail to produce high quality students.
"There are many teachers who have to find part time jobs," the Minister said.
He urged school organizers to support the program by providing additional classes and high quality education. "There are students of the government-owned SLTP who have been given scholarships, and this is part of our effort to attract people to go to school," Wardiman said
The government also provides other alternatives to formal education for those who do not have time to go to school, such as an open SLTP and study groups that are available in certain areas.
Wardiman called on parents to educate their children by sending them to formal school because the number of children who do continue their education to SLTP is relatively low, only 66.6 percent.
However, the number of children who undergo the six years of compulsory education is 94 percent.
"The reasons are because schools are far away and education is still considered expensive, especially in poor villages. Also, many children have to work to help their parents," said Wardiman. (01)