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)