To educate the people?
The decades around the beginning of the last century can be considered as some of the most productive for Indonesia, as far as the birth and emergence of great nationalist leaders is concerned. On June 6, 1901, Sukarno, who at the end of World War II was to become the country's founding president, was born. Aug. 22, 1902, saw the birth of Mohammad Hatta, Indonesia's first vice president and co-proclaimer of the country's independence. Sutan Sjahrir, the youngest of the lot, who, at the age of 36, was to lead the government in the difficult years immediately following the proclamation of independence on Aug. 17, 1945, followed in 1909.
Compared with these three leaders and their contemporaries, Soewardi Soerjaningrat -- better known under his adopted name Ki Hajar Dewantara -- whose birthday the nation commemorates today as National Education Day, was a relative senior, although by only a few years, having been born on May 2, 1899.
Although European colonialism appeared well enough ensconced in the region, the first stirrings of nationalism were becoming apparent in south and southeast Asia, as witnessed by the emergence of various organizations that, with the passage of time, became more and more politically oriented.
Amid all those developments, Ki Hajar Dewantara, like his Indian counterpart and contemporary Rabindranath Tagore -- with his Santinikethan school in West Bengal -- set himself the task of building a national education system that would dispense with the elitist Dutch school system, with its emphasis on scholastic aptitude, and develop a system that was more suited to indigenous Indonesian culture and needs. Having studied the Montessori educational system in Holland, he was well equipped for the task.
Thus, on July 3, 1922, the Taman Siswa Educational Institute (Nationaal Onderwijs Instituut Taman Siswa) saw the light, with Pancadarma as its guiding philosophy, which gave students the freedom to grow and develop, each according to their own talents and ambitions. It also aimed to positively promote the natural gifts and characteristics of students, develop a sense of nationalism and national awareness and promote a sense of humanitarianism in students.
Unavoidably, however, the question arises as to whether the nation still regards Ki Hajar Dewantara's labors as relevant today. The point is, it may be one thing to pay formal tribute to a man who is considered a hero, but quite another to honor his life's work and ideals.
Unfortunately, the skepticism appears justified. Consider, for example, the law on national education that at present lies before the House of Representatives for debate. Article 1 of the convoluted text of the draft, for example, states, "education is the planned and conscious effort to create a climate of study that actively promotes (a student's) individual potential to possess spiritual-religious powers, self-control, character, intelligence, a noble character and skills that are needed by the student individually, by society, the nation and the country."
Throughout the deliberations by the House of Representatives, the issue of religious instruction or education has been the most hotly debated on the agenda. Thousands of students, teachers and critics of all colors have demonstrated in front of the legislature, either to support or object to certain articles of the draft. In short, politics have dominated the debate, both inside and outside the legislature.
One could well ask whether the issue of developing a national education system that effectively meets the need of "educating the people", as the Constitution prescribes, is still in the minds of our esteemed legislators. Most lamentably, whatever legislation ultimately emerges from these politically motivated debates in the House of Representatives will have the most far- reaching consequences for future generations of Indonesians and for the nation.
It seems that the ideals promulgated by Ki Hajar Dewantara are today at least as far removed as they were when they were first mooted more than 80 years ago.