Indonesia
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has yet to reach zero cases. The numbers continue to climb day by day. The implementation of Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) across several cities has not yielded the desired results. The apathy displayed by segments of the public only deepens the collective anxiety over when this pandemic will finally come to an end. The socioeconomic impact is being acutely felt across all layers of society and the world of children’s education has not been spared, with no end in sight.
In practice, students at every level of primary and secondary schooling from early childhood education (PAUD), kindergarten, and primary school (Young Learners) through to junior and senior high school have been confined to their homes with their families, spending extended periods of time with their mothers. Learning from home has become part of government policy to curb the spread of the virus, even though it has proven painful for children, parents, teachers, and the wider community alike. Can home-based learning truly proceed normally? Will the education and future of today’s children surpass that of previous generations? These are the questions that underpin the author’s concern for the state of education today. The question that follows is: what must families do?
“Al-ummu madrasatul ula, iza a’dadtaha a’dadta sya’ban thayyibal a’raq” , “The mother is the primary school; if you prepare her, you have prepared the finest generation.” So states the hadith. It is within this context that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) called upon families and mothers in particular to become schools for their children.
The Prophet’s teaching rings truer than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has yet to subside, compelling mothers to assume the role of school for their children. Mothers serve as the first line of defence, stepping in to replace the role of the teacher within their own homes. This is especially critical for children in primary education, who still require considerable parental guidance. Children must not be allowed to perceive learning from home during this pandemic as a holiday. They must continue to be disciplined and motivated to keep learning, even in the difficult circumstances of today.
What must a mother do to prepare herself to become her children’s school? At minimum, there are five things a mother must equip herself with while accompanying her children at home.
First, a mother must possess the quality of patience just as teachers do, to whom we entrust the education of character and knowledge. Patience, in the first sense, means the willingness to keep guiding one’s children even when the subject matter is beyond the mother’s own mastery. Patience in the second sense recognises that not every mother has a background in education or teaching and yet this patience is the determination to keep guiding, regardless of that limitation.
Second, a mother must be capable of transferring knowledge about the philosophy of life about the importance of children learning from her, and learning alongside her, for a period whose end remains unknown, until COVID-19 cases reach zero. This philosophy is essential to instil so that children develop the inner confidence to keep learning, no matter how difficult the circumstances.
Third, a mother must be able to explain things in ways that match her children’s level of reasoning. Learning outcomes at home must be formulated as simply as possible, calibrated to each child’s age and measurable in a meaningful way.
Fourth, what children receive at school and at home will inevitably differ but the two will converge in time. A mother’s wholehearted dedication in accompanying her children at home is therefore the key to success in contributing to the intellectual advancement of the nation.
Fifth, last but not least, in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic, the family has become the confluence where all circumstances and events must ultimately resolve themselves in peace. As Muslims, we must remain optimistic and guard our faith accepting and embracing what we are experiencing with an open heart, while striving with all our means to find our way out of this pandemic.
In the end, the family is the last fortress. There is the state, the region, the city, and the village but all will ultimately rest upon the family. May COVID-19 cases soon reach zero, and may Indonesia emerge as a pioneer of the Family School model. Amen.
By: Dr. Hj. Mutmainnah Mustofa, M.Pd. Head of the Master’s Program in English Language Education, Postgraduate Program, Universitas Islam Malang; and Regional Board Member of BKMM, Indonesian Mosque Council (Dewan Masjid Indonesia), East Java
*) This opinion piece is the sole responsibility of its author, and was also published at timesindonesia.co.id
