The right approach to better writing

It was with considerable interest that I read the article by Mr. A. Chaedar Alwasilah on the lack of writing skills among Indonesian intellectuals published in the Jan. 3, 1998 issue of The Jakarta Post.

I wholeheartedly concur with his clearly stated assessment of the circumstances he attributes this to, and the suggestions he offers to promote the development of writing skills.

A similar trend in writing skill deterioration was evident in the late 1970's among university students and graduates in the United States and it prompted the universities to implement programs and solutions comparable to those suggested by Mr. Alwasilah. These programs successfully reversed this trend by the late 1980's and have become a standard component of university curriculum.

One of the main objectives of the present higher education project of the Ministry of Education and Culture is to strengthen the curricular programs in a variety of disciplines at nine project universities.

As one of many academic advisors assisting in the project, I share the concerns expressed by Mr. Alwasilah, and support giving attention to the implementation of the approach he advocated to promote writing skills.

But this in itself may not be enough. I have observed that Indonesian university students are less inclined to develop their reading habits.

For one, unlike their American counterparts, Indonesian students are not required to purchase the textbooks that serve their courses. This may well be attributed to the high cost of textbooks, which most students cannot afford to buy, or lack of textbook availability.

As a result, reading beyond classroom lectures is not perceived as an obligatory contribution that promotes student learning.

Yet, a close relationship exists between the attainment of writing skills and development of a reading habit. Unless these two objectives are met, the anticipated benefits gained from the establishment of first rate curricular programs may not be effectively realized to the fullest extent.

PROF DR. RALPH OCKERSE

Team Leader HEP-2

Bogor, West Java