Approaching 20 years since the Reform Era, achievement in Indonesian education is still far below expectations. Student ability in various basic competencies is far from ideal.
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Kompas/Agus Susanto
Fourth, fifth and sixth-graders study in the same classroom at the SD 12 state elementary school in Tajung Durian, North Putussibau district, Kapuas Hulu regency, West Kalimantan, on Friday (26/3/2018). Indonesia’s rising per-capita income is not followed by improvements in the quality of education. Indonesia’s educational achievements, especially at elementary and junior high school levels, remain below average.
Approaching 20 years since the Reform Era, achievement in Indonesian education is still far below expectations. Student ability in various basic competencies is far from ideal.
Based on the Student Competency Assessment conducted by the Education and Culture Ministry in 2016, as reported by this daily yesterday, the percentage of students underachieving in math is about 77.13 percent, in science 73.61 percent and in reading 46.83 percent .
The same situation can be seen at university level. Approximately 90 percent of prospective students in Indonesia are confused about which university major to choose. About 87 percent of university students who have already started studying feel they have chosen the wrong major.
This situation is very serious because it clearly shows there is something wrong with the system and direction of our education. This situation cannot be left without attention. A thorough evaluation of our education system is needed to find the right solution.
It would be unfair to place the responsibility solely on the Education and Culture Ministry. It requires commitment from all parties to fix the education system.
The Education and Culture Ministry, for example, has introduced the availability of education services, as well as affordability, equity and quality of education. However, the quality of education is difficult to achieve if the current population growth rate of 1.49 percent, or about 4 million births each year, is not controlled. The government will always struggle with efforts to provide education services and not focus on improving the quality of education.
To improve the quality of the Indonesian people through education, Article 31 Paragraph 4 of the 1945 Constitution stipulates that at least 20 percent of the state budget should be earmarked for education.
In line with the increasing state budget, the education budget automatically increases every year. However, in reality, this budget has to be shared with 16 ministries and other institutions that carry out the education function. As a result, the budget for educational operations and improving the quality of education is decreasing.
With the limited budget, it is not easy to solve the various educational problems, ranging from a high dropout rate as children are needed to earn money for their families, the poor condition of schools, the low quality of teachers, the uneven distribution of teachers, to the disparities in the quality of education in Java and outside Java.
Efforts to improve the quality of teachers as the spearhead of education by providing a certification allowance are commendable. However, in reality, the certification allowance does not improve the quality of teachers as reflected in teacher competency test results, which are low on average.
Therefore, the country sorely needs to improve the quality of its education and evaluation, and to repair the education system with a sincere and serious commitment from all parties. Otherwise, the quality of education will remain as low as it is now.
