Pramono Wants Betawi History and Culture to Become School Education Material

Jakarta (ANTARA) — DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo wants the history and study of Betawi culture to become local content material in the capital’s school curriculum.

“It’s actually unfair if we in Jakarta have no Betawi local content education. For that reason, I will ask the Education Agency to prepare it,” Pramono said at the MH Thamrin Museum in Central Jakarta on Sunday.

Regarding this, Pramono said the material will be developed and prepared together with the Betawi community. The hope is that today’s younger generation can become better acquainted with Betawi figures and culture.

Learning about local cultures, including Betawi, is important in students’ education. “So we will implement local content education. And I am confident this will be a very positive thing,” he said.

Beyond that, Pramono will also ask the Regional Secretary and the Jakarta Culture Agency to produce a book on Betawi culture. The book will cover history and information about notable Betawi figures.

“So that from generation to generation, everyone will have a reference. Many people surely don’t realize that the key Betawi figures actually played an extraordinary role in the independence process,” he said.

On the same occasion, Betawi community leader and Chairman of the Betawi Community Customary Council (MKB) Fauzi Bowo welcomed the plan. He said the idea had already been considered, with a concept developed by the Betawi Cultural Institute in cooperation with the Jakarta Education Agency.

“With the Governor’s encouragement, we will speed up — we will accelerate so that it becomes part of the education curriculum in primary and secondary schools in Jakarta,” he said.