Religion and the National Education Road Map

The 2020-2035 National Education Road Map that the Education and Culture Ministry has prepared aims to develop the profile of Pancasila students as “superior human resources”.

The ministry says the road map has gone through consultations with all stakeholders such as societal organizations, universities, religious organizations, professional associations, educational institutions and multilateral organizations.

Apart from achieving competitive human resources in the 21st century, the design of educational ecosystem is expected to produce Indonesian children with faith, fear of God Almighty and noble character.

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The road map envisions “developing Indonesian people to be lifetime learners who are advanced, develop continually, are prosperous and possess noble character by cultivating the cultural values of Indonesia and Pancasila”.

Appreciation and support should be given to the road map, which was initiated in response to contemporary global challenges.

However, the 2020-2035 National Education Road Map has generated a polemic because it does not contain the phrase “religion”.

The good news is that Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Anwar Makarim has stressed that the ministry had no plans to do away with religious studies.

Nadiem also confirmed that religion and Pancasila were both essential to national education building. Why was religion a crucial issue to administering education in Indonesia? That the phrase “religion” is absent from the road map’s text at first glance seems a simple matter. However, in reality, religion was essential and intrinsic to Indonesia.

In personal, social and even national life, religion was not a simple grammatical matter of its inclusion in the text of a particular document. Why? For the Indonesian nation, religion is a reference source for noble character, as well as a guide for thinking and beliefs that extend to many aspects of life. Religion is also a guide and measure for personal and social behavior, whether individual or collective.

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Nadiem Anwar Makarim.

Many experts say that religious is morals, behavior and attitude. All religions teach kindness, compassion and love for others. Religion teaches how to lead a life that is pure, both in thought and actions, inside and out, individually or collectively. Religious people are good people who are good to God and to other people.

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As an essential and intrinsic matter, it is natural that there is discourse about the inclusion of the phrase “religion” in the text of the education road map. There is an expectation that the road map can be used a reference because it derives from and preserves those values that are essential to Indonesia’s existence.

The road map that supports the national education ecosystem must clearly formulate a variety of aspects and variables, both tangible and intangible.

The document should identify, promote, maintain and revitalize those essential values in the delivery of formal and nonformal education. The road map that supports the national education ecosystem must clearly formulate a variety of aspects and variables, both tangible and intangible.

Several key issues relevant to education ecosystem need attention in the road map, such as teaching staff, facilities and infrastructure, curriculum and assessment, relevant and contextual standards of achievement and competence, access and equity gaps, funding, administration and stakeholders’ roles.

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In addition, other aspects that are relevant and fundamental to Indonesia and therefore also need attention are essential values, traditions and holistic wisdoms that inspire and maintain the Indonesian spirit in the past, present and future.

Constitutional foundation

Why must the state guarantee the existence of religion? This obligation must be reflected not only in the text of the road map, but also actualized in real programs. Article 31 of the 1945 Constitution is an important reference and foundation in the implementation and sustainability of educational activities in the nation.

This article contains the right to basic public education and the government’s mandate to advance science and technology by upholding religious values and national unity for the advancement of civilization and the welfare of mankind. All Indonesians have a right to education and schooling. At the same time, the state has an obligation to respect, protect and fulfill this right.

Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan

A mural with the theme of character and character education is drawn on the wall of a school in the Karang Tengah area, Jakarta, Monday (4/11/2019).

The Indonesian Constitution and the objectives of establishing the state firmly state this. The state was agreed and formed at the same time as it was mandated to respect, fulfill and protect the right to religion and/or belief. This right is fundamental, and it may not be abused or neglected, or overridden by any interest or situation. Strictly speaking, religion for all Indonesian citizens is a constitutional right that is guaranteed by the existence of the Indonesian state.

The nation’s history

Its formulation in the Indonesian Constitution basically reconfirms the social and communal reality that had existed and had been established established before the Indonesian state was founded and broke away from colonial rule. As a matter of fact, religious education and teachings, as well as the existence of socio-religious organizations had been part of the nation\'s journey since before the rise of the Republic of Indonesia.

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Education and the spread and influence of religion in Indonesia can be traced back even further in line with the rise of civilization and the consolidation of nationalism, culture and politics in the archipelago. Religion is an integral part of Indonesia and drives social transformation, tradition, civilization and culture, and even accelerates the development of political awareness in the country.

Religion and religious education is the history of Indonesia and marks its very existence.

Opportunity

Learning in the 21st century needs to integrate skills in literacy, knowledge, competency and attitudes, as well as mastery of technology. Meanwhile, UNESCO has recommended four main dimensions of education: “learning to know, learning to do, learning to be, learning to live together”.

Why is religion an essential element of education in Indonesia? All religions teach kindness, respect and justice for others, of both the same as well as different faiths, even enemies! Religion is part of Indonesianness.

When in groups, both in and outside of school, students will meet other people of various beliefs and/or religions.

In education, as well as at schools and outside schools, students learn about being independent and being part of a collective, with or without a teacher. When in groups, both in and outside of school, students will meet other people of various beliefs and/or religions. Living in diversity provides one of the best opportunities for educating and teaching inclusive behavior, to be accepting and respectful of those of different religions or beliefs, and to teach how to be pious in society (“social piety”).

Eliminating religion from national education could lead to the potential loss of opportunities for schools and teachers, even parents and the state, for teaching children about the virtues of religion in diversity (plurality), which is integral to the educational process, both in and outside schools, whether formal or nonformal.

DOKUMENTASI PRIBADI

Educational activist Safhira Alfarisi (left) dialogue with Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim.

Eliminating religion from national education can also eliminate opportunities to educate Indonesian children in a civilized manner. Eliminating religion from education also violates the Constitution and can open opportunities for the degradation of Indonesian civilization.

The education road map as prepared by the education ministry is basically a public document that should be accessible to all parties. As a public document, the road map must be accompanied by a valid and transparent academic paper to facilitate understanding and implementation.

Finally, it must be stressed that the road map is merely a document that is hoped to provide guidance to administrators and stakeholders. The main thing is that the program is real, consistent and sustainable. Without a real program, the National Education Road Map will remain a mere document and may be pushed aside by other issues.

KOMPAS/NINO CITRA ANUGRAHANTO

Sigit Riyanto

Sigit Riyanto, Dean and Professor, Gadjah Mada University Law School

(This article was translated by Musthofid).