Revitalizing the spirit of Ki Hajar Dewantara

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.