Indonesia Goals and objectives of education

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1 Indonesia Goals and objectives of education Estimated population Public expenditure on education as percentage of Gross National Product Duration of compulsory education (years) Primary or basic education Pupils enrolled Teachers Pupil/teacher ratio Gross enrolment ratio Net enrolment ratio 197,500, ,721, ,157 23: According to Law No. 2/1989, the objectives of the national education system are: l to develop citizens whose values are based on Pancasila (i.e. State ideology, spelled out in the five basic principles of the Republic of Indonesia: belief in one God; just and civilized humanity, including tolerance to all people; the unity of Indonesia; democracy led by wisdom of deliberation among representatives of the people; and social justice for all); l to support the Indonesian society, people and State. In the broad context of society and national development, the aim of education is, on the one hand, to maintain Indonesia s cultural background and, on the other, to generate the knowledge, skills and scientific progress that will keep the nation abreast of development in the twenty-first century. National education should improve the life of the nation and develop the Indonesian people fully (i.e. intellectually, morally, spiritually, physically and socially). THE ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT Estimated percentage of repeaters Estimated percentage of drop-outs School-age population out of school Secondary education Students enrolled Gross enrolment ratio ,000 12,200, Third-level enrolment ratio 11.1 Estimated adult literacy rate Source: UNESCO statistical yearbook, 1998, Paris The Centre for Curriculum and Educational Facilities Development or Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) established in 1969, comes under the authority of the Office of Educational and Cultural Research and Development in the Ministry of Education and Culture. It is composed of four divisions each headed by a director: (a) Pre-school, primary and special education; (b) Secondary schools; (c) Higher education; (d) Educational facilities. The Centre s main functions are: (a) to formulate technical policies on curriculum development and educational facilities; (b) to conduct, co-ordinate and guide the development of curriculum and educational facilities covering institutional objectives, programme structure and basic course outline, teaching learning models and methods; learning materials, etc.; and (c) to formulate suggestions on government policy. The CDC has established a curriculum network to strengthen professional support for teachers across the country in the area of curriculum development. The network was established in order: (a) to involve different regions in the development of a national curriculum; (b) to improve the level of professionalism in curriculum development at the various levels (national, provincial, district); and (c) to establish a mechanism for curriculum 83

2 dissemination and development at both national and provincial levels. The network includes professional groups from twenty-seven provinces across the country, each consisting of thirty-five members including leading teachers from primary, junior and senior secondary schools, vocational schools, principals, supervisors and staff from the Regional Office of Education and Culture. The network s tasks are: to plan, develop and implement the curriculum according to local conditions and needs; to assist teachers in curriculum development through adjustments, elaboration and analysis based on the students immediate environment and community needs and resources; and to monitor and evaluate the implementation of both national and local content. The CDC provides advice, assistance and guidance to the network in the elaboration, analysis, monitoring and evaluation of curricula. Some of the accomplishments of the network include: the development and implementation of local content materials (course outlines, teaching guides; assessment guides and counselling guides); analysis and modification of the basic course outline; monitoring and evaluation, including development of instruments for the process, and preparation of a report. It is intended to set up networks at the district level, intensify training for network groups at both provincial and district levels, increase production of materials, and improve monitoring and evaluation techniques. ON-GOING CURRICULUM REFORM The existing curriculum designed in 1994 was felt to be inadequate in a number of ways: overloaded; too difficult for the pupils to complete; inadequate attention paid to the importance of the natural and social environments; failure to incorporate new areas of content, including education for human rights, moral education, health and nutrition education; and the need to update the content on Indonesian history. Public hearings were held to find out pubic opinion concerning curriculum needs. Relevant recent research on the curriculum, especially as related to future needs, was taken into account. An analysis was made of the gaps between the existing curriculum as it was formulated and designed and as it has been implemented. A working team has been set up consisting of staff from universities and teacher training institutions, experienced teachers and relevant experts. Current curriculum-related priorities and concerns Major goals include the expansion of compulsory basic education from six to nine years, the improvement of the quality of primary and secondary education, and enhancing learning achievements for all levels. Indonesia s commitment to the further development of education is based on the recognition that development goes hand-in-hand with advancement in science and technology. The continuous decrease of employment opportunities in the area of agriculture and the increasing demand for knowledge and skills in industry, especially in the high technology and service sectors, as well as the inevitable impact of globalization, have created an urgent need for on-going curriculum reform. In addition to developing students intellectual capacities, it is recognized that education must foster and promote creativity, the ability to process and utilize information, adaptability and selftraining. Indonesia has recently entered the Second Twentyfive Year Long-term Development Plan PJP II ( to ), the emphasis of which is on the development of human resources to sustain the economic evolution of the nation. To respond to the challenges of modernity, the priorities of education for PJP II include the following: l the completion of the nine-year universal basic education programme (which involves adding three years of schooling for those of years of age, i.e. at least six years of primary education and three years of lower secondary or equivalent education). The curriculum of the junior secondary school is also to be expanded with skills training, especially for students who are not able to continue to senior secondary education. The implementation of the nine-year basic education programme will cover efforts to develop an improved learning environment at school and in classrooms; efforts to provide and train more teachers; and efforts to provide quality equipment and textbooks. l the relevance of education to development. The policy states that education should be related to industry and the business world starting from planning, implementation, assessment, and certification of education and vocational training relevant to economic needs. It requires the expansion and improvement of technical and vocational education for the production of skilled and flexible human resources who master technology. The link and match programme, which involves industry and commerce in vocational education, will continue to be developed and implemented through the dual system. To support the policy, 2,000 commercial and small industrial institutes have been contacted for co-operation and asked to provide training for students. The cooperation includes curriculum development and an examination system that measures the skills and expertise of the participant after completing a certain level. l improved capacity to master science and technology through improved quality of higher education providing training and research, supported by improvements in mathematics and science instruction within the overall education system. Educational programmes, as preparation for employment, are provided through the junior secondary schools with qualified educational content and through vocational secondary education. At pre-tertiary level, science and technology programmes include: (i) science and technology for basic education directed towards general basic comprehension and aiming to implant and develop basic learning tools this covers mastery in reading, arithmetic, problem solving, and moral education for the industrial society (discipline, time appreciation, work ethics, self-learning); and (ii) sec- 84

3 l ondary education programmes aiming to master the basics of science and technology. the development of a monitoring and evaluation system of education that is valid, reliable and continuously comprehensive. PRIMARY AND JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCA- TION (BASIC EDUCATION) Six years of compulsory education for primary school-age children (PS, 7-12 years) were institutionalized in Currently (as from 1994) the programme has been extended to the years age group (i.e. junior secondary school JSS). The policy has been recognized as nineyear compulsory basic education. The major purpose of the extension is to alleviate the problem of child labour and to keep children in school up to the point where they are able to keep up with the changing demands of society, especially those who cannot afford to pursue a higher level of education. In addition to primary and junior secondary education, there is also an Islamic primary school administered by the Ministry of Religious Affairs: the Islamic primary school (Madrasah Ibtidaiyah), equivalent to primary school, and the Islamic junior secondary school (Madrasah Tsanawiyah), equivalent to junior secondary school. Primary education provides general education. The goal of basic education is to develop the lives of children as individuals and members of society, citizens and members of mankind, as well as to prepare them to pursue their studies in secondary education. The core content of the basic education curriculum consists of: Pancasila, religion, civic education, Indonesian language, reading and writing, mathematics, introduction to sciences and technology, geography, national and general history, handicraft and arts, sports and health education, drawing, English language, and local content areas. More than one element may be joined in one subject matter; or, vice versa, one element may be divided into more than one subject. The 1994 basic education curriculum was implemented in phases until the end of the academic year. The average number of weekly periods of teaching by subject are indicated in Table 1 below. TABLE 1. Basic education curriculum (primary and junior secondary school) Number of weekly periods in each grade Subjects Primary Junior secondary 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 5 th 6 th 1 st 2 nd 3 rd Pancasila education Religion Indonesian language Mathematics Sciences Social sciences Handicraft and arts Health and sport English language Local content TOTAL PERIODS Source: Basic Education Curriculum, MOEC, 1993; (the average length of teaching periods is 30 minutes in grades 1-2 and 40 minutes in grades 3 to 6 of primary education; 45 minutes in junior secondary). 2 As part of the expansion of educational opportunities at the basic education level and within the initial stage of the nine-year basic education programme, JSS education was developed. However, the number of PS students continuing to JSS has remained low. By intensifying the JSS expansion, it is hoped that within fifteen years, all 13 million of PS graduates will have the opportunity to continue to the JSS. The JSS expansion will be supported by the building of new schools, hiring new teachers, developing more infrastructures and facilities and by the development of the open junior secondary school programme for year-old children who are not able to follow the regular JSS. SECONDARY EDUCATION Secondary education lasts three years and is available to graduates of basic education. The types of secondary education include: general secondary education, which gives priority to expanding knowledge, developing students skills and preparing them to continue their studies to the higher level of education; vocational secondary education, which gives priority to expanding specific occupational skills and emphasizes the preparation of students to enter the world of work and expanding their professional aptitudes; religious secondary education, which gives priority to the mastery of religious knowledge; and service 85

4 secondary education, which emphasizes the training of service tasks for civil servants or candidates for civil service. General secondary education includes general secondary school and Islamic senior secondary school. It is intended to develop the student s knowledge in accordance with the progress of science, technology and the arts, and enable him/her to continue studies at higher levels of education. It also develops the student s abilities as a member of the community to interact with the social, cultural and natural environment. General secondary education consists of general and specific teaching programmes. The general education programme is implemented in the first and second grades, while the specific teaching programme starts to be implemented in the third grade. The new curriculum has been implemented in phases, and was extended to all grades in Quality has been improved by introducing a quarter-year academic cycle (instead of the halfyear/semester), and a students streaming division (by discipline) at grade 3 (instead of grade 2). The average number of weekly 45-minute periods of teaching by subject are indicated in Table 2 below. The vocational secondary education programmes are classified into six different groups of vocational fields, namely: Agriculture and Forestry; Technology and Industry; Business and Management; Community Welfare; Tourism; and Arts and Handicraft. Implementation of vocational education is based on the national curriculum. It is adjusted to the local and environmental needs and distinctive features of the vocational education concerned. The curriculum of vocational secondary school consists of general and vocational education programmes. The quality of vocational education still needs to be improved, its scope expanded and its programmes matched to the employment needs. METHODS AND APPROACHES TO LEARNING The learning and teaching climate should generate selfconfidence, innovative thinking, and should be orientation towards the future. Child-centred, active and co-operative learning is advocated. Teaching is expected to promote higher learning skills, fostering the students desire and capacity for learning throughout life. Four types of assessment exist at pre-university level: 1. Classroom-based continuous assessment with directions and guidelines provided to teachers on assessment procedures. Assessment may take place after the completion of a small teaching unit at the end of every quarter or semester, or at the end of an academic year. 2. External assessment consisting of a school leaving examination at the end of each school level. 3. A survey of student achievement involving a sample of a student s performance and other relevant variables to be conducted periodically. At present, surveys conducted are not professionally designed and the instruments tend to be of poor quality. A National Assessment Programme is foreseen. 4. University entrance examination. These examinations tend to be very difficult due to the interests of top universities to select the best candidates. Many teachers in senior secondary school focus on preparing students for these exams rather than on the prescribed secondary school curriculum. Students who have a consistently high performance during senior secondary school may be exempted from the examination. MAIN CHALLENGES FACING CURRICULAR ADAPTATION Design l Divergence of opinion with regard to educational philosophy among key stake holders. l Determining needs for the social, economic, political and cultural environment of the twenty-first century. l Determining the aims of different levels and types of education. l Defining minimum basic learning competencies for all levels and types of education. Implementation l The vast size of Indonesia makes effective countrywide curriculum implementation very difficult. l The budget for proper piloting of the new curriculum is inadequate. l The need for comprehensive reform incorporating all aspects of the teaching/learning process: teachers, materials and facilities, role of society. Follow-up l Socialization of the process in schools. l Modification following trialling. l Full-scale implementation following piloting. 86

5 TABLE 2. General senior secondary school curriculum Number of weekly periods in each grade Subjects General Specialist Form 1 Form 2 Form 3 Language Science Social A. General Pancasila education Religion Indonesian language and literature General and national history English language Sport and health 2 2 (2) (2) (2) Mathematics Sciences a. Physics b. Biology c. Chemistry Social sciences a. Economics b. Sociology c. Geography Arts Sub-total (16) 14(16) 14(16) B. Specialist Language Indonesian language and literature English language Foreign language(s) History of culture Sciences Physics Biology Chemistry Mathematics Social sciences Economics Sociology Civics Anthropology Sub-total Total academic hours (44) 42(44) 42(44) Source: MOEC, 1993; One teaching period lasts 45 minutes. 87