Seminar on handicrafts planned

Seminar on handicrafts planned

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Teachers College (IKIP Jakarta) will
hold a seminar on teaching arts and crafts next week.

Chairman of the Organizing Committee Dian Herdiati said
yesterday that the planned one-day talks on Tuesday, March 19,
will address difficulties faced by teachers, particularly at the
junior high level, in teaching the subjects from the national
curriculum.

The professor in the college's department of drama, dance and
music said the seminar is the first of its kind, Antara reported.

The government stipulates that two hours per week must be
allotted for fine arts, music and dance as well as arts and
crafts.

"Not all teachers master these skills," said Dian.

As a result, she said, a teacher who is skilled in fine arts
will spend more time on the subject than on dance.

Meanwhile, the head of the departments of arts, drama and
music, Hamzah Busrah, said it is important that teachers have
guidelines to avoid confusion.

However, Hamzah, who also heads the arts and language
department of the college, said he could not comment on the
curriculum as it has been effective for less than three years.

He said one way around the difficulties would be to make the
subject flexible for teachers. Students should also be asked to
choose their subject based on the availability of teachers and
facilities.

"Another way would be to go back to the previous curriculum,"
he said, suggesting that the subjects of arts, crafts, dance and
music be taught separately.

The seminar will be opened by the Director General of Culture
Edi Sedyawati. Two hundred teachers are expected to attend. (anr)