Minister starts new education program despite problems

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.
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