Agus Dharma, PhD
Board Member from Indonesia
Background
1.
The
vision of Indonesian education is the realization of educational system as a solid
and authoritative social institution to empower Indonesian citizen to become
intelligent persons that are able and proactive to stand facing the ever
changing challenges of the era. They are bright (spiritually, emotionally,
socially, intellectually, and kinesthetically) and competitive citizens. The educational
system encompasses all form, type, and level of education: formal, non-formal,
and in-formal.
2.
Basic
education in Indonesia
provides nine years learning experience in both formal and non-formal education
for 7- 15 school age children. The goal of basic education is to develop
learners’ basic intelligence, knowledge, personality, noble character, as well
as skills to live independently and to continue their education.
3.
Basic
education is conducted in elementary school and junior high school (both public
and religious type of schooling called madrasah = madrasah ibtidaiyah for
elementary school and madrasah tsanawiyah for junior high school). While public
elementary and junior high scholl are managed based on the policies established
by the Ministry of National Education (MONE) and operationally controlled by
otonomous local/district/town administration, the madrasahs are managed by the
Ministry of Religious Affairs through its local (district/town) offices
troughout Indonesia.
4.
The
nine years basic education is compulsory. At present the number of student
attending elementary and junior high school is 7.864.650 and 3.839.023
consecutively and the number of elementary school is 44.154 and junior high
school is 12.932 (public and private). Net participation rate at elementary
school is about 95% and gross participation rate at junior high is 92%. This
include students attending the madrasah. The total number of teachers at
elementary and junior high scholl (public and private) is 1.531.193.
5.
The
successful implementation of basic education program is, among other things,
relied heavily on qualified teachers in managing their students learning
experience based on well developed curriculum.
6.
Traditionally
the MONE played a central role of curriculum development in Indonesia. Schools (teachers)
involvement played only small operational portion of the role. The teachers
were supposed to go along with all instructions neatly prepared guidance of curriculum
implementation by the MONE. The main task specified to teachers in curriculum
planning was to merely prepare lesson plan of a subject based on implementation
and technical instruction. The old curriculum is subject (materials) and
teacher oriented regardless learners potential, development stage, needs, interest,
and environment.
7.
Since
2006 (in decentralization era) Indonesia has been implementing competency base school level curriculum
based on national standard of education (content and competence standards
in particular) considering the goal of a certain level of education, learning
experiences that should be provided to achieve the goal, the methods used to
manage the learning experiences, and methods of evaluation to measure the goal
achievement. The new curriculum is learners’ and competency oriented and
implemented by paying attention to learners potential, development stage,
needs, interest, and environment.
8.
The
new policy on curriculum, among other things, is intended to empower teachers
to develop down to earth learning activities relevant to the learners’ need,
actual condition of the school, as well as the necessity to link it to the
environment. Central Government provides guidance in developing competency base
school level curriculum. The Curriculum
Center at the Office of
Educational Research and Development of the MONE helps the schools develop
their own curriculum by providing curriculum models that can be implemented at
school level. Training centers of the MONE have been conducting training
sessions for school principals and teachers in developing competency base
school level curriculum.
Legal Framework of School Curriculum
1.
The
National Education System Act (No 20/2003) provides legal framework of
curriculum implemented in Indonesia.
The Minister of National Education decrees No 22 and 23/2006 establish the
content standard and graduate competences standard in developing curriculum. The
standards are established by the Office of National Standard of Education.
2.
The
Act defines curriculum as a set of plan with regard to the objectives, content,
and learning materials as well as the methods employed as guideline in
conducting learning activities in order to achieve the goal of a certain
education.
3.
The
curriculum of primary (basic) and secondary education must include religious
education, citizenship, languages, mathematics, natural science, social
science, art and culture, physical education and sport, skills/vocational
education, and local content. The curriculum is basically developed based on diversified principles related to
educational unit, regional potential, and the learners.
4.
The
curriculum is developed according to the level of education in the frame of the
Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia in the efforts to improve religious
faith, character; learners’ potential, intelligence, and interest; the variety
of regional potential and environment; the demand of regional and national
development; the employment demand, the development of science, knowledge,
technology, and art; religion, the dynamic of global development, national unity
and values.
5.
Basic
framework and structure of primary and secondary education curriculum are
established by the Central Government. Primary education curriculum is
developed in accordance with its relevance by individual school (or
alike)/madrasah committee (school level curriculum) coordinated and supervised
by the district office of education (local
government) and district office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Basic Framework of Curriculum and Competency
1.
Subject
Cluster and Scope
a. Religion
and noble character
This
subject is intended to develop learners to become religiously devoted
individuals who posses noble character. The noble characters consist of ethics,
good conduct in life, or morality as the realization of religious education.
b. Citizenship
and personality
This
subject is intended to develop learners’ awareness and knowledge with regard to
their status, rights, and obligations in community, state, and nation; as well
as to improve their quality as human being. The awareness and knowledge include
nationality, spirit and patriotism in defending their nation, appreciation of
human rights, nation diversity, environment conservation, gender equality,
democracy, social responsibility, as well as the promotion of behaviors against
corruption, collusion, and nepotism.
c. Science
and technology
Science and
technology at elementary school is intended to introduce, react, and appreciate
science and technology, as well as to instill habits of critical, creative, and
independent scientific thinking and behavior. Science and technology at junior
high school is intended to develop basic competency in knowledge and science as
well as to enhance the learners’ habit of scientific thinking critically,
creatively, and independently.
d. Aesthetics
This
subject cluster is intended to develop learners’ sensitivity as well as ability
to express and appreciate beauty and harmony. The ability to appreciate and
express beauty and harmony consists of appreciation and expression, both in
individual life that enable learners to enjoy and be grateful of life and in
community that enable them to create togetherness and harmony.
e. Physical, sport, and health
This
subject cluster at elementary school is intended to develop learners’ physical
potential as well as to implant the spirit of sportsmanship and awareness of healthy
life. This subject cluster at junior high school is intended to enhance the
learners’ physical potential as well as to strengthen the habits of sportive
and healthy life.
2. Curriculum
Structure of Elementary and Junior High School
Curriculum structure of elementary
school includes learning content learned in six years education started from
Grade I until Grade VI and three years at junior high school started from Grade
VII to Grade IX. The curriculum structure is developed based on graduate
competency standard and subjects competency standard by considering the
following guideline.
a. Elementary and junior school curriculum consists
of 8 and 10 subjects consecutively, local content, and self development. Local
content is curricular activities in order to develop competency adjusted with
unique local characteristics and potential, including local advantages where
the content cannot be clustered into the existing subjects. Local content is
determined by individual educational unit (school or alike). Self development
is not a subject that must be taught solely by teacher. Self development is
intended to provide opportunity for learners to develop and express themselves corresponding
to each learner’s need, talent, and interest. Self development activities could
be facilitated by counselor, teacher, or other educational staffs that can be
conducted in the forms of extra-curricular activities. Self development
activities, among other things, can be performed through counseling services
related to learners’ personal problems, social life, learning, and career
development.
b. The content of natural and social science at
elementary and junior high school is integrated natural and social science.
c. Learning process at Grade I, II, and III is
conducted through thematic approach, while at Grade IV, V, and VI is carried
out through subject approach.
d. Average learning hour for Grade I, II, and
III is 27 and Grade IV, V, and VI is 32 a week, while average learning hour at
junior high school is 32. Educational unit could add maximum 4 learning hours per
week. The length of one learning hour is 35 minutes at elementary school and 40
minutes at junior high school.
f. Effective learning period in one year of
schooling is 34-38 weeks for both elementary school and junior high school divided
into two semesters.
General Principles
of Curriculum Development
1.
Focused
on learners’ potential, development, needs, and interest; and their environment
Curriculum is developed
based on the principle that learners have their own unique potential to develop
their competence to become religiously devoted, bright, competitive, and
responsible citizens. It is, therefore, the development of this potential is
done based on the learners potentials and develomental needs. The learners are
supposed to be the central attention of learning activities (learners oriented
curriculum).
2.
Varied
and integrated
Curriculum is developed by
keeping in mind the diversity of learners characteristic, geography condition,
level and type of education, as well as appreciating differences in religion,
ethnics, culture, tradition, socio-economics status, and gender. Curriculum must contain required subjects,
local content, and integrated self development and is developed in a meaningful
and right intersubjects integration.
3.
Responsive
to the development of science, knowledge, technology, and art
Curriculum is developed
based on awareness that science, knowledge, technology, and art is developing
dynamically. Therefore, the curriculum spirit and content are required to
provide learners with learning experience that enable them to keep up with and
utilize science, knowledge, technology, and art development.
4.
Relevant
to the need of life
Curriculum is developed by
involving the stakeholders to
ensure its relevance to the needs of life which include social life, business,
and employment. It is, therefore, educational institutions have to include the
development of personal, thinking, social, academic, and vocational skills.
5.
Comprehensive
and continued
Curriculum content
includes the whole dimensions of competences and subjects that are planned and
presented continously through all educational level. It means, therefore, that
the same subject may be presented at different level, but with diverse depth
and scope.
6.
Life
long learning
Curricullum is directed
toward the process of learners’ development, aculturation, and empowerment in
the frame of life long learning. The curricullum reflects the interrelation of formal,
non-formal, and informal education by paying attention to the ever changing
environment condition and demand.
7.
Balancing
national and regional interests
Curriculum is developed by
paying attention to the national and regional interest in order to develop a well balanced life in community, nation, and state. National and regional
interests must be kept in balance on a par with the motto of the Unitary State
of the Republic
of Indonesia: unity through diversity.
Principles of
Curriculum Implementation
1. Curriculum
implementation is based on the learners’ potential, development, and condition
to master useful competency. Learners must have quality educational services
and opportunity to freely, dynamically, and comfortably express themselves.
2. Curriculum
is implemented by maintaining five learning pillars: (a) learning to be faithful
and devoted to God, (b) learning to understand and fully comprehend, (c)
learning to be able to perform effectively, (d) learning to live with and be
useful for other people, and (e) learning to identify and develop own identity
through active, creative, and contented learning process.
3. Curriculum
implementation enables learners to have remedial, enriched, and/or accelerated
educational program on a par with learners’ potential, developmental stage, and
condition by paying attention to learners’ integrated personal development containing
spirituality, individuality, community, and morality.
4. Curriculum
is implemented in situations where there are mutually respectful, close, open,
and warm relationship between learners and educators by keeping in mind the
principles of good modeling, motivating, and empowering.
5. Curriculum
is implemented by employing multi-strategy and multi-media approach, sufficient
learning and technology sources, and by utilizing immediate environment as
learning source.
6. Curriculum
is implemented by utilizing natural, socio-cultural, and regional sources for
successful educational programs containing useful subjects in optimal learning
process.
7. Curriculum consisting
of all components of subjects’ competency, local content, and self development
is managed in appropriate and sufficient balance, interrelation, and continuity
between grade, type, and level of education.
Closing Remark
1.
The world is changing and so is
educational endeavor to empower individuals to develop their potentials to live
responsible and healthy life so as to be able to perform independently and
cooperatively and help each other in harmony.
2.
Curriculum serves as the substance
that gives the soul to learning process. Curriculum should be primarily based
on the consideration of promoting learners’ interest in identifying and
developing their full potential.
3.
Nationally established
curriculum in Indonesia
has experienced several changes. The new curriculum has been implemented
nationally since 2006. The so called competency
base school level curriculum is developed based on content and
competency standards. It is in line with the implementation of educational
policy regarding school base management.
4.
The successful implementation
of the new policy on curriculum depends on the readiness of all parties
involved in learning process at operational level, especially the teachers.
5.
Central government (Ministry of
National Education) has been conducting various programs to assist schools in
developing, implementing, and evaluating their own curriculum by taking
advantage of advanced information and communication technology.
6.
It is necessary to conduct
evaluation research in order to see the effectiveness of the new curriculum
related to the learners’ achievement measured through multi-dimensional
approach.
* Presented in Roundtable Discussion in Retrac Governing Board Meeting at
Institut Aminuddin Baki, Genting
Highland, Malaysia,
27 August 2008. Agus Dharma is Director of the Personnel Education and Training Center,
Ministry of National Education, Republic
of Indonesia.
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