INDONESIAN BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM CURRENT CONTENT AND REFORM* Agus Dharma, PhD Board Member from Indonesia

Background 6. 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. 7. 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. 8. 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. 9. 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. 10. 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. 11. 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. 12. 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. 13. 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 14. 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. 15. 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. 16. 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. 17. 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. 18. 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
19. 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.

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Competences standards for elementary school graduate: 20. To act on their religious teachings with regard to the stage of child development. 21. To know ones weaknesses and strengths.

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To obey social rules in their environment. To appreciate religion, culture, ethnics, racial, and socio-economics differences in their environment. 24. To use information of their environment logically, critically, and creatively. 25. To demonstrate the ability to think logically, critically, and creatively with the guidance of their teachers. 26. To demonstrate high sense of inquiry and awareness of their potentials. 27. To demonstrate ability to solve simple problems in their daily life. 28. To demonstrate ability to identify natural and social phenomena in their environment. 29. To demonstrate affection and care about their environment. 30. To demonstrate affection and proud of their nation, state, and homeland. 31. To demonstrate ability in local art and cultural activities. 32. To demonstrate habits to live clean, healthy, fresh, and safe and to take advantage of spare time. 33. To communicate clearly and politely. 34. To work together in group, help each other, and protect themselves in their home and peer group. 35. To demonstrate eagerness to read and write. 36. To demonstrate skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and arithmetic. 3. Competences standards for junior high school graduate: 37. 38. To act on their religious teachings according to their pre-adolesence stage of development. 39. To demonstrate self-confidence. 40. To obey social rules in their broader environment. 41. To appreciate religious, cultural, ethnics, racial, and socio-economics differences in national scope. 42. To search and implement information from their environment and other sources logically, critically, and creativelly. 43. To demonstrate the ability to think logically, critically, cratively, and innovatively. 44. To demonstrate the ability to learn independently on a par with their own potential. 45. To demonstrate the ability to analize and solve daily life problems. 46. To describe natural and social phenomena. 47. To responsibly take advantage of their environment. 48. To implement values of togetherness in social and national life in order to realize the unity in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. 49. To appreciate art works and national culture.

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To appreciate job tasks and able to perform productively. To live clean, healthy, fresh, and safe life and to take advantage of their spare time. 52. To communicate and interact effectively and politely. 53. To understand own and others right and obligation in her/his social interaction. 54. To appreciate differences in opinion. 55. To demonstrate eagerness to read and write short and simple article. 56. To demonstrate skills in listening, reading, speaking, and writing in simple Indonesian language and English. 57. To master the knowledge required to continue study in secondary education. 4. 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 learners 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 extracurricular activities. Self development activities, among other things, can be performed through counseling services related to learners personal problems, social life, learning, and career development. The content of natural and social science at elementary and junior high school is integrated natural and social science. 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. 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. Effective learning period in one year of schooling is 34-38 weeks for both elementary school and junior high school divided into two semesters.

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General Principles of Curriculum Development 58. 59. 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). 60. 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. 61. 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. 62. 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. 63. 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. 64. 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. 65. 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. 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. 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. 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. Curriculum is implemented by employing multi-strategy and multi-media approach, sufficient learning and technology sources, and by utilizing immediate environment as learning source. Curriculum is implemented by utilizing natural, socio-cultural, and regional sources for successful educational programs containing useful subjects in optimal learning process. 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.

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Closing Remark

66. 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. 67. 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. 68. 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. 69. 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. 70. 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. 71. It is necessary to conduct evaluation research in order to see the effectiveness of the new curriculum related to the learners achievement measured through multidimensional approach.