Some rooms at the Teacher Training University (STKIP) Ar-Rahmaniyah in Citayam, Depok, West Java as seen on Thursday (8/3). The university offers education from kindergarten up to university.
Today, teachers face a heavier duty. They must serve as educators of scientific knowledge and shape students’ character values, as well as facilitators.
Rapid advancement in information technology demands a shift in teachers’ mindset. It is no longer enough for them to simply stand in front of the classroom and be the main source of knowledge – aside from books, for students.
Since the start of the third industrial revolution, marked by the emergence of digital technology, there have been abundant sources of knowledge. Students can obtain any information they want through a variety of resources. Students have the ability to better understand not only text-based information, but also visual information.
Today’s era of the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, has even more abundant sources of information and knowledge. It is no longer about merely searching for information. How to sort and select from this abundant information is also important.
Herein lies the important role of teachers as facilitators, in guiding their students to recognize and distinguish the useful information amid the noise. To be facilitators, teachers must have a good grip on the developments of the spread of information in the society.
A growing number of teachers are capable facilitators. Nevertheless, many are still trapped in the old mindset of being the main source of knowledge in classrooms. Furthermore, many teachers do not have adequate education and are busy processing their certification allowance, which is often late.
Law No. 14/2005 on teachers and lecturers stipulates that teachers should have at least an undergraduate degree. However, the fact remains that, of the 3 million or so teachers in the country, around 491,000 elementary, junior high and senior high school teachers do not have an undergraduate degree.
Teacher quality is also insufficient, as shown in the national average of 53.02 points in the recent teachers’ competence test. This is lower than the minimum standard of 55.
Of the country’s 34 provinces, only seven scored averages that were higher than the minimum standard: West Java, Central Java, East Java, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bali and Bangka Belitung Islands.
Many efforts to improve teacher quality have been made, including professional development and training. However, looking at the increasingly difficult challenges ahead, such development models may not be enough. Evaluation is needed to determine the most effective teacher development model for responding to our nation’s most pressing problems.
