Readers today, leaders tomorrow

Readers today, leaders tomorrow

A. Chaedar Alwasilah, Dean, School of Languages and Arts Education,
University of Education (UPI), Bandung, chaedar@bdg.centrin.net.id

It is often said that the children of today will be the
leaders of tomorrow. However, hardly do we hear one say that the
readers of today will be the leaders of tomorrow! The opinion
piece titled Most Indonesian politicians loath to read by Solita
Sarwono published in this newspaper (July 25) provokes us to look
into the connections, if any, between developing the reading
habit and leadership.

As most people in Indonesia are Muslims, the majority of the
politicians are by definition Muslims. We can conclude then that
most of our Muslim politicians are loath to read, let alone to
write.

Does reading determine the quality of leadership? The answer
seems to be affirmative. Basically, leaders should have two
competencies: the ability to absorb as much information as
possible and the ability to lead others to achieve shared and
collective goals. Visionary leaders must be avid readers so that
they can update and reshape their vision and mission of
leadership.

It is well recorded in Islamic history that the first verse
revealed to the Prophet Muhammad was God's command, "Read. In the
Name of Allah." Two decades after the revelation he became a
great leader on the Arab peninsula, who is up to now believed to
be the most influential and successful leader in human history.

It was not unreasonable for Michael H. Hart, in his book
The 100, a Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History
(1978), to select and rank the Prophet Muhammad first.

By inference, humans are instructed to produce texts. It is
reading, rather than writing, that humans are explicitly
instructed to do, suggesting that reading is more basic and vital
for literacy and leadership. We read more than we write;
therefore, throughout human history readers unquestionably
outnumber writers. Writers are by definition good readers; while
good readers are not necessarily good writers.

The first revelation, which was in the form of a dialog
between the Angel Gabriel and the Prophet Muhammad, by definition
marked the beginning of leadership and portrays the seminal idea
of literacy. It also suggests that a critical dialog is essential
for developing leadership. In other words, in Islam literacy is
an absolute necessity for leadership. There is no leadership
without critical reading and writing skills.

Undoubtedly, all Muslims profess that the Koran is their
sacred Book, to follow obediently. However, only a few would
believe that being literate is a command of God. Learning to read
and write is part of practicing the Islamic teachings propagated
by the Prophet Muhammad. It is narrated that in his early
prophethood, the prophet set free non-Muslim prisoners who were
committed to teaching illiterate Muslims basic reading and
writing skills.

Given the fact that Muslims constitute the majority of our
population, this country should have established an excellent
education system to provide Muslim students with reading and
writing skills. The majority of Indonesian politicians, leaders,
bureaucrats and decision-makers are Muslim. Unfortunately,
though, they are not good readers and writers. Thus, how can you
expect them to lead their constituents?

The low literacy level of most Indonesian leaders and
politicians is evidence of the failure of the national education
system. It is a fact that Indonesian students have to study more
subjects than their Singaporean counterparts. However, Indonesian
students' literacy skills are rated the lowest in Asia.

This suggests that the quantity of school subjects does not
necessarily guarantee the quality of education.

And Islamic schools include more school subjects on their
curriculums than non-Islamic elementary, junior high and high
schools. The students have to take secular subjects as well
religious subjects. Overburdened, the students only manage to
skate across the surface of most subjects. No wonder they are
less competitive than their counterparts in public schools.

Given all of this, there are many things to be done to improve
the nation's literacy level. Philosophically, as the majority of
the population, Indonesian Muslims should be reminded of the
truth that Islam teaches its adherents to be literate. Enforcing
a policy to develop literacy is not only politically rewarding,
but it is also part of practicing Islamic teachings.
Unfortunately, this has been overlooked by Muslim scholars. Many
are shortsighted when defining literacy as the ability to read
the Koran and traditional Arabic references.

Muslim educators, both at public schools and Islamic schools,
need to cut the number of school subjects by teaching students
only the essentials of knowledge. Quantity, as evident in the
Indonesian system of education, is antithetical to quality.