Thinking Freely

What exactly is the fundamental problem with our education? We never answer this question with a cool head, even though the answer should be the center of all our ideas in formulating policies to improve education.

KOMPAS/SYAHNAN RANGKUTI

Elementary school children in Tegal village, Ciseeng district, Bogor regency, West Java, go home after school. They still smile even though some of them will no longer receive an education as secondary schools are not available in their village, while transportation costs are too expensive. Even though junior high school is included in compulsory education, there are still many children who drop out of school.

Thus far, changes in education policies and rules have been mostly oriented to address symptoms rather than the root of the problem. These symptoms include the low competence of graduates, the low productivity and quality of scientific work as well as rampant dishonorable behavior, such as corruption, by the educated circles.

Departing from the struggle and experience of enlivening the world of education for more than 30 years, I am pretty sure that the fundamental problem of education is our failure to lead children and young people to think independently. This problem has reached an acute stage, to the effect that many intellectuals lack either the gut or the ability to make sentences of their own. The rise of plagiarism is clear evidence of this shortage of courage and independent thinking.