Textbooks make bore children to tears: Expert
Textbooks make bore children to tears: Expert
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesia's education system has failed to develop reading habits
among children due to its uncreative teaching methods, a child
education expert says.
Children tended to ignore reading books because they thought
they were the same as school textbooks, Agus Moeliono, from the
Bandung-based Institute for Research and Development of Child
Education, said on Saturday.
"Textbooks here forcefeed the children with the government's
point of view. They are not made to encourage children's
creativity or imagination. Have we ever found here a textbook
with an illustration of purple cows?" he said on the sidelines of
a children's event held by the British Council in Jakarta.
The country's education system requires students to pass
examinations rather than build their knowledge on life in their
own ways.
Teachers looked down on students who had different opinions
from those stated in the textbooks, he said.
"Teachers here tend to give conventional question and answer
type homework to students instead of encouraging students to
explore their opinions about something," said Agus, adding that
the conventional method was not suitable for children, who liked
challenges.
No wonder, he said, most children preferred to watch
television programs rather than reading books nowadays.
Siva, 10, from an elementary school in Kebayoran Baru, South
Jakarta, admitted that she does not really like reading. She
prefers watching television because it is easier to follow the
story.
Another child, Malik, 8, from Duren Sawit, East Jakarta, said
that he loved books with pictures, especially cars and animals.
"I don't like textbooks because the pictures are small and not
colorful."
While most people think that children only like comics,
unknown to many, it is not only comics that children like to
read.
During the children's program, several children brought their
favorite books, which ranged from fairy tales to scientific
books.
"I saw a strange insect when I was playing in the rice field
in my village. I later found a book which tells me about the
insect. That's why I like this book a lot," said Usman, an 11-
year-old student from Pelabuhan Ratu, West Java.
Agus encourages parents and teachers to provide children with
books which have attractive illustrations.
"Forget about the conventional curriculum. Give children
imaginative books instead of old-fashion books which offer good
morals. Let children find their own values," Agus said.