Schools abandon literature: Poet

Schools abandon literature: Poet

JAKARTA (JP): Renowned poet W.S. Rendra and Bahasa Indonesia
expert J.S. Badudu expressed on Monday their concern for the low
interest in literature subjects in schools across the country.

Badudu said that there were not enough qualified teachers to
teach the subject and that they did not read enough books on
literature.

"How can we expect that literature will improve while teachers
who teach the class don't even like the subject," Badudu told
participants of a seminar on Bahasa Indonesia in Bogor.

Rendra, who also spoke at the seminar, echoed Badudu's opinion
saying that the teaching of the subject had been deteriorating
over time.

Rendra said that learning literature was meant to free oneself
or others' by reviving conscience.

"Learning literature is also very important to master people,
just like learning drama, if you learn it you can use it to know
other people's characters," Rendra said.(21/jaw)