What people say about history lessons at school

What people say about history lessons at school

JAKARTA (JP): History has been a notoriously boring subject
for many of the world's young students, while differing views are
confusing to those brought up on one version. Can it be any other
way? Parents, teachers, students and activists share their views.

Malina, a mother of three grown-up children: The history-
teaching methodology should be changed because the current one
stresses memorizing data, which I think is useless.

What is the use of memorizing dates of certain historical
events for the students' future. There's no guarantee that people
with a good memory on historical dates would have a brighter
future.

Maybe the government should search for history-teaching
methods that result, for instance, in students who will learn not
to repeat bad lessons from history.

Roy Pakpahan, activist with Solidarity for Peace in East
Timor (Solidamor): History teaching should be totally revised.
Not only regarding its content but also its methodology, which is
identical to indoctrination.

History lessons should include access to other sources, so
students become accustomed to different opinions because history
cannot be monopolized by certain parties only ...

History teaching under former president Soeharto's regime was
aimed at preserving his power, so things which defiled his name
were covered up.

For example, we are always told in history lessons how cruel
the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) was, when it tortured
to death six generals during a failed coup attempt.

But we are never told about the equally inhumane deeds which
led to the deaths of up to one million alleged PKI members
according to novelist (and a former leader of the left-leaning
Lekra literary organization) Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Indonesian
history should certainly be rewritten, involving historians with
different views, whether they agree or disagree with Soeharto's
version of history.

Rewriting history should also include contemporary Indonesian
history, such as the subject of East Timor.

Renata, 14, student of Tarsisius Vireta Catholic Junior High
School in Tangerang, West Java: I like history only when it's
stories but I hate it when I have to memorize historical dates or
events.

Sometimes, I can't find certain parts of Indonesia's history
in the textbook but which were published in newspapers or
magazines. I once read about the transfer of power from Sukarno
to Soeharto in the media. I have the impression that data in the
media is far more complete than that in my textbook.

So, I'm beginning to think that textbooks are an incomplete
source.

HR Agung Laksono, State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports:
It's forbidden to cover certain facts in history. I think all
history books which have been issued must be acknowledged.

We shouldn't listen to rumors. The official recognition from
the government must be considered.

People may say some facts are bad or wrong but where is the
official evidence? Everything must be based on data. What we have
already should be considered as the right version.

Basically, history information must not lie to the people. If
someone doubts (official) the history (of his own country), he
must be able to show evidence.

Luhut Pangaribuan, former chairman of the Jakarta Legal Aid
Institute: We all know that history is never neutral, that's why
(Indonesian history) should be rewritten because it has been
biased toward former president Soeharto's interests.

Present history lessons are more about what happened in Java,
so students from other islands are obliged to identify people
they don't recognize as their heroes.

I think power centralization in Java has had an impact on
history writing. The government should allocate more details on
the history of other parts of the country.

There should be a new look into Indonesian history teaching
that should give more roles to historians from various
backgrounds, especially those uninfluenced by political power.

Sofi Naqiyah, 12, student of Nurul Fikri Integrated Islamic
Junior High School, Depok, West Java: I like history lessons
because my teacher stresses on discussion and (student)
presentation. Students are also free to use various sources, not
only textbooks. I think history teaching should be like that so
it will attract our attention.

But I don't like the way (history) is treated in examinations
as it is more difficult than multiple choice, for example.

The part of history lessons which I don't like most is when we
are asked about historical dates.

Muchtar Pakpahan, leader of the Indonesian Prosperous Labor
Union: I have the impression that the writing of Indonesian
history lessons has a tendency to magnify former president
Soeharto and consists of facts which are debatable, like the
transfer of power from late first president Sukarno to Soeharto.
It is a dark period because it has never been discussed openly.

I suggest that history lessons should be written by
independent historians. The Ministry of Education and Culture
should also open itself up to diverse sources regarding Soeharto.

History lessons should be rewritten but without feelings of
vengeance. History should be just history. (ind/yan)