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Summary

The video transcript discusses the shortcomings of Indonesia's education system, focusing on outdated teaching methods, stagnant curricula, and the failure of reforms like the Merdeka curriculum to address real-world issues. The speakers criticize how education focuses on past knowledge rather than future-oriented skills. They also emphasize the gap between government policy and its implementation on the ground. Additionally, there are reflections on the broader societal and political issues affecting education, such as economic inequality, political hegemony, and the role of education in fostering independent, critical thinking.

Takeaways

• 📚 Education in Indonesia is heavily focused on the past, with outdated textbooks and teaching methods that fail to prepare students for the future.
• 🧑‍🏫 The main issue with various curricula like 'Merdeka Belajar' is not the content, but poor implementation, especially at the grassroots level, where it deviates significantly from its intended purpose.
• 👩‍🔬 Teachers are often stuck in repetitive cycles, using the same teaching methods and materials for decades without innovation or adaptation to modern needs.
• 📖 Indonesia's education system fails to discuss relevant, real-world issues, such as the impact of harmful products like asbestos, leaving students uninformed about crucial contemporary challenges.
• 🏫 Critical thinking and freedom of expression in education are hindered, as students feel constrained by scholarships or government support, limiting their ability to criticize the system.
• 🧠 Students should be allowed more freedom in choosing their curricula, as seen in other countries where learners are encouraged to design their own academic paths based on personal interests.
• 💡 Capitalism and communism, once major economic theories, are no longer entirely relevant, yet they remain a core part of Indonesian school curricula despite the evolving global landscape.
• 🌍 There is a lack of education on environmental issues and future-oriented topics, such as the relationship between environmental degradation and global phenomena like climate change.
• 🔬 Key historical discoveries, such as the homo floresiensis fossil, take years to be incorporated into Indonesian educational materials, showing the system's inability to adapt quickly to new knowledge.
• 🏛️ Despite grand educational policies and reforms, without effective execution at the local level, such programs like 'Merdeka Belajar' will not bring meaningful change.

Q & A

What is the main critique of the 'Merdeka Belajar' curriculum according to the speakers?

The main critique is that the implementation of the 'Merdeka Belajar' curriculum does not align with its original purpose. Although it's meant to promote freedom in learning, in practice, it's still bound by outdated methods and focuses too much on past events, rather than preparing students for the future.

What problem does the speaker identify regarding textbooks in Indonesian education?

The speaker highlights that textbooks used in Indonesian education are outdated and focused on the past. Many textbooks discuss old events or concepts that no longer reflect the current realities, which prevents students from thinking forward and adapting to the future.

How does the speaker describe the difference between the curriculum presented by the government and the reality in schools?

The speaker describes a significant disconnect between the curriculum as presented by the government and how it is implemented in schools. Teachers are often stuck repeating outdated material, leading to a gap between policy and practice.

Why does the speaker believe that discussing capitalism and communism in schools is outdated?

The speaker argues that discussions about pure capitalism and communism are no longer relevant because no country fully adheres to these economic systems today. Instead, they suggest focusing on the principles of these systems and their modern applications, rather than teaching them as static ideologies.

What example does the speaker give to show the lag in updating school curricula?

The speaker provides the example of the discovery of 'Homo floresiensis,' a major archaeological find that was only included in Indonesian schoolbooks 10 years after it had already made global headlines. This illustrates how slow the curriculum is to incorporate new knowledge.

What does the speaker propose as the real focus of education?

The speaker believes that education should focus on transforming people—helping those who cannot, to be able, and those who are not skilled, to become skilled. It should be oriented towards the future, teaching students skills and knowledge that will be relevant in their lives ahead.

How does the speaker view the concept of 'freedom to learn' in the context of Indonesian education?

'Freedom to learn' is seen as superficial in Indonesia, where students are still heavily restricted by old curricula and political control. For example, students who receive scholarships are hesitant to criticize the government because they feel indebted, thus undermining true freedom of thought.

What does the speaker criticize about the way subjects like language and religion are taught in universities?

The speaker criticizes that even at the university level, students are still required to learn basic subjects like Bahasa Indonesia and religion, which they should have mastered in high school. This, according to the speaker, is a waste of time and reflects inefficiencies in the educational system.

What does the speaker mention about the educational model in some parts of the U.S., like California?

In California, particularly in some community colleges, students are given the freedom to design their own curriculum. They choose what they want to study and are not bound by a rigid, pre-determined curriculum, which represents a more genuine form of 'freedom to learn.'

What is the speaker's stance on the Indonesian government’s focus on infrastructure over education?

The speaker criticizes the government for prioritizing infrastructure projects over investments in education and human development. They argue that this approach leaves students and families in poverty, while educational funding is used as a tool to control students rather than empower them.