Revitalizing the spirit of Ki Hajar Dewantara

Mateus Yumarnamto Surabaya

Indonesians annually celebrate National Education Day on May 2. What we know about the day is that students partake in the flag ceremony, educational institutions have seminars on education and the mass media does special reports on education. Not only that, some private companies have special sales events just for teachers, which can include books, computers or even motorcycles.

In the wave of consumerism and pragmatism, we almost forget that on this day we commemorate the birthday of a national hero: Suwardi Surjaningrat. He was born on May 2, 1889 in Yogyakarta.

Surjaningrat or Ki Hajar Dewantara -- his more popular name -- was a great educator as well as a great politician. Along with Douwes Dekker and Cipto Mangunkusumo, he founded Indische Partij, the first party that explicitly had a position of independence from Dutch colonialism.

His article, Als ik eens Nederlander was (If I were a Dutchman), which satirically criticized the Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, cost him his freedom. He was exiled to the Netherlands in 1914.

Ki Hajar Dewantara had a deep concern for the education of the kaum bumiputra (the indigenous Indonesian people). As part of his political struggle for Indonesian independence, he founded Taman Siswa (Students' Garden), an institute of sorts where Indonesians were equipped with nationalistic and humanistic views. His famous motto was Ing Ngarso Sung Tuladha; Ing Madya Mbangun Karsa; Tutwuri Handayani (Give them examples when you are in front; encourage them when you are in the middle; support them when you are at the back).

His philosophy on education reflected by that motto is still relevant now. Even new approaches and theories on education are consistent with the motto that suggests the main roles of a teacher: a model, a motivator and a supporter.

Do teachers and educators in Indonesia still have the spirit of Ki Hajar Dewantara? This question is difficult to answer. We just keep complaining that Indonesian education is one of the worst in the world. Even the reforms in the educational system seem to have no clear direction.

The controversial Government Regulation Draft on the National Standard Education -- which will soon be issued -- suggests that education is viewed as an economic instrument.

In the explanation of chapter 16 verse (1) it is mentioned that "the independent formal education is a formal education that is meant for citizens who are academically and financially able, and who regard education as an investment for the future."

Investing money for education is not wrong, especially for those who are rich and able. How about those who are poor and mediocre? The government offers a solution by putting them in the state's standard formal education system, which is meant for citizens who are academically and financially less able. It is also meant to be a safety net for those who cannot compete in the classroom.

Ki Hajar Dewantara would have cried if he were to see that the educational system that he built had become an instrument of new colonialism. It does not make people free from dependence and it does not unite people as a nation. The education system in his mind was supposed to be one that is based on the preferential option for the poor, not for the rich. He used to educate bumiputra -- colonialists also called them coolies.

Nationalism is probably out of fashion in the era of globalization and internationalization. However, to have a better vision of education for the nation, we have to revitalize what Ki Hajar Dewantara thoughts. He was a real guru for the nation and was proud of being a teacher.

Now, are teachers still proud of their profession? Have they tried hard to become a model, a motivator or a supporter of the students? Have they pushed students to be thoroughly independent human beings?

It is time for all Indonesian teachers and educators to continue the unfinished job in educating the nation by revitalizing what Ki Hajar Dewantara started.

The writer is a lecturer at the Teacher Training and Education School of the Widya Mandala Catholic University in Surabaya.