Indonesia
The Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, B.A., M.B.A., recently visited Postgraduate Program at Universitas Islam Malang on Sunday, August 28, 2022. The purpose of his visit was to serve as a guest speaker in a talk show titled: “Indonesia’s Educational Vision in the 21st Century: Fostering High-Quality Human Resources.”
This talk show was part of a series of events at a National Working Meeting (Rakernas) of LP Ma’arif NU PBNU held at Universitas Islam Malang from August 26–29, 2022, from approximately 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology was warmly welcomed upon arrival by the Rector of the Islamic University of Malang, Prof. H. Maskuri, M.Si, the Chair of LP Ma’arif NU, Prof. Dr. H. M. Ali Ramdhani, M.T., along with the entire team. The event was then moderated by Prof. M. Ali Ramdhani.
Technology and Conscience.
While answering questions posed by the moderator, Nadiem explained that education in Indonesia currently faces many challenges and pressing issues. “There are certainly many challenges we face, one of which is technology in education. Regarding the issues mentioned earlier by the moderator, I can say that the role of teachers will never be replaced in education, not even by technology,” Nadiem clarified.
He also explained that this is because students still need role models in their pursuit of knowledge.
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“In a learning process, students still need a sense of closeness or a spiritual connection with their teachers, who provide them with all kinds of role models, knowledge, and information. This is the main reason,” he emphasized again.
With current massive advancements in technology, he hopes that technology can strengthen the education sector in Indonesia.
“I am convinced that technology will undoubtedly strengthen our education system. For example, first, it will eliminate and reduce the shortcomings in Indonesia’s education system, and second, it will serve as a platform for teachers to be creative, collaborative, and innovative, such as through school digitization,” said Nadiem.
The Harvard Business School graduate stated that a great teacher is not one with an impressive resume. “Nor is it someone who has undergone every kind of training, but rather a teacher who is capable of and trusts in the talents and abilities of their students,” he explained.
Three Major Sins of Education in Indonesia.
He also mentioned that there are three major sins in education in Indonesia. “They are violence, bullying, and intolerance. These are the three major sins currently plaguing Indonesian education,”
Therefore, LP Ma’arif is collaborating with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology to launch the Ma’arif Bermartabat Task Force (Prevention and Mitigation of Violence, Bullying, and Intolerance), or P2KPI for short.
Nadiem hopes that P2KPI will serve as a model for society in addressing these major issues in Indonesia’s education sector. “As far as I know, LP Ma’arif is the first organization to initiate efforts to address violence in Indonesia’s education system; I hope it can set a good example for our education system,” he said prior to the launch of P2KPI.
Merdeka Belajar and Innovation.
The goal of Merdeka Belajar within current curriculum is Pancasila student profiles. “There are six: having faith, being God-fearing, and possessing noble character; being independent; thinking critically; embracing global diversity; practicing cooperation; and being creative,” explained Nadiem.
According to him, numeracy (the ability to reason and use logic to analyze a problem) and literacy are key assessments in the current development of national education. “Of course, these are also accompanied by national values,” added the Gojek CEO.
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The man, who is known for his boldness, always reminds people never to be afraid to take risks, as long as their intentions are good. “Because failure does not stem from a lack of courage to take risks or a failure to innovate, but rather from standing still, which is tantamount to suicide,” the Minister stated firmly
That evening, the event continued with the Inauguration Ceremony, held in Batu City, which was also attended in person by Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa (AAFR/PPS).
