Changing the Curriculum Again

The adage "change the minister, change the curriculum" is really happening in this country. The Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry has secretly formulated a new curriculum that will be gradually implemented starting from the 2021/2022 academic year in 2,500 school movers (SP). Thus, we can call it the school mover curriculum.

It is expected that every year the number of SPs will continue to increase so that more schools will implement the School Mover Program (PSP). The change is based on the simplification of the existing curriculum so that it will be more flexible and in line with the spirit of an independent learning concept because it provides schools and teachers with autonomy, and it is also easy to implement.

The government only stipulates a basic curriculum structure and principles of learning and assessment, while the education unit can develop additional programs and activities according to its own vision, mission and available resources. In the PSP curriculum, education units and educators are free to organize learning activities according to student needs and the local context.

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What has been changed from the 2013 Curriculum in the PSP Curriculum? It seems it has been changed not on a paradigmatic level, but more on a technical level. The new curriculum is still based on the process of improvement of the quality of learning that has been adopted in the previous curricula, namely competency-based, in which knowledge, skills and attitudes are integrated as a unified and sustainable process so it can build full competence.

In the 2013 curriculum, these competencies are called basic competencies (KD), while in the PSP curriculum they are stated as learning outcomes (CP). The technical differences are, among other things, the number of lesson hours (JP) has not changed from the 2013 Curriculum, but around 20-30 percent of the lesson hours in each year are allocated for learning through programs aimed at creating Pancasila Students.

The PPKn lesson, for example, can be completed in a semester. The most important thing is that in total, it reaches 180 hours a year.

Second, the education unit has autonomy to arrange lesson hours per week, while the Education and Research and Technology Ministry only determines the total number of lesson hours a year. For example, Pancasila and Citizenship Education (PPKn) lessons are held five hours a week (180 hours/year). At present, students receive a PPKn lesson for five hours a week regularly during a year. Under the PSP curriculum, it is up to schools to manage their own time. The PPKn lesson, for example, can be completed in a semester. The most important thing is that in total, it reaches 180 hours a year.

Third, the PSP curriculum also gives schools autonomy in choosing the approach to be used in learning: subject-based or thematic, or a combination of both. Fourth, fine arts subjects are studied intensively in odd semesters and the summative assessment is carried out in the form of work exhibitions. On the other hand, Natural and Social Sciences (IPAS) lessons are given in odd semesters with reduced hours, but in even semesters, they are studied intensively.

Changes in level

In detail, the changes in the PSP curriculum can be seen at each level of education. At the elementary level, in the 2013 Curriculum, science and social studies are independent subjects, but in the PSP, the science and social studies are combined into Natural and Social Sciences (IPAS) as the foundation before children learn science and social studies separately at junior high school.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Students of state junior high school SMPN 4 Surabaya perform a historical play entitled “Unknown Heroes” at the Heroes Monument in Surabaya, East Java, on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018. Similar performances were held in a number of locations in Surabaya ahead of the commemoration of Hero’s Day on Nov. 10.

In the 2013 Curriculum, learning in elementary schools is based on a thematic approach, while in the PSP curriculum, it is up to the teacher, whether it will be thematic or subject-based. The teacher has the autonomy to determine the approach to be used. Schools that are now using the thematic approach can maintain the approach, but those who will switch to a subject-based approach are also welcome. In the sixth grade, lesson hours are reduced by between 16 and 28 hours a year.

At junior high school level (SMP), in the 2013 Curriculum, informatics is an optional subject depending on the availability of teachers, while in the PSP Curriculum, it is a compulsory subject because the teachers who teach it are not required to have an educational background in informatics. In SMP, the thematic approach is also allowed even though the 2013 Curriculum is subject-based. In the ninth grade (third grade in SMP) lesson hours are reduced by between 12 and 24 hours a year.

Thus, first grade students in SMA are required to take all the prescribed subjects.

At high school level (SMA), in the 2013 Curriculum, once children enter high school, they are immediately directed to majors/interests in science, social studies or language and culture. However, in the PSP curriculum, majors are given in ninth grade (second grade in SMA). Thus, first grade students in SMA are required to take all the prescribed subjects. Natural Sciences consists of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (six lesson hours per week), and Social Sciences consists of Sociology, Economics, History and Geography (eight lesson hours per week). Indonesian History and World History are combined into “History” with an allocation of two lesson hours per week each for subjects in the science and social studies groups.

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There are five groups of subjects that are recommended for majors/interests, namely MIPA (specialization in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Informatics); Social Studies (Economics, Sociology, Geography, Anthropology); Language and Culture (Indonesian Language and Literature, English Language and Literature, other Foreign Languages); Vocational/Creative Works (Cultivation, Engineering, etc.); and Arts and Sports (especially for government-defined schools). The school should give a minimum of two subject.

Subjects in science and social studies can be taught using the following methods: a) Block system— using a team teaching system in planning, but teachers of Physics, Chemistry, Biology teach alternately; b). Integrated— using team teaching system in planning and learning; c). Parallel—the seven subjects are taught simultaneously on a regular basis each week.

“Silent Curriculum”

Although the new curriculum can bring about a fundamental change in the field, especially at high school level, regarding the readiness of teachers, parents, students, school infrastructure, as well as the quality of education itself, the PSP curriculum did not cause any controversy in the public, because the curriculum was formulated and disseminated secretly. It was only exposed to a limited audience so that the public were not aware of it. In fact, the mass media did not even catch on to it.

Only those involved in the process, including the teachers of school movers, were aware of the existence of this PSP Curriculum. If they did not give the formation, we, the education observers, would not have known that there was a new curriculum.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Fourth, fifth and sixth-graders study in the same classroom at the SD 12 state elementary school in Tajung Durian, North Putussibau district, Kapuas Hulu regency, West Kalimantan, on Friday (26/3/2018). Indonesia’s rising per-capita income is not followed by improvements in the quality of education. Indonesia’s educational achievements, especially at elementary and junior high school levels, remain below average.

That is why we call it a “Silent Curriculum” because it was made secretly and only unveiled to a limited audience and implemented in a hurry.

Whatever curriculum a country implements, it will affect the future of the nation\'s children. For this reason, the formulation of a school curriculum requires serious study, public scrutiny and careful implementation, because if it goes wrong, it will have an impact on an entire generation. We, the education observers, did not know when the new curriculum was formulated, and when it was put forward for public discussion.

Suddenly, it was implemented in 2,500 school movers starting in the 2021/2022 academic year.

And ironically, in the document consisting of the materials in the form of a PowerPoint presentation provided to school movers is "Materials for internal discussion, not to be disseminated".

It is weird, but it really happened. How can the curriculum concerning the fate of the nation\'s children be made secretly and implemented in a hurry? The curriculum is part of public policy; it should be opened to the public so that the public knows about it and can give input.

Many problems

Although at the paradigmatic level, there are no major changes from the 2013 Curriculum, except for technical matters, it does not mean that there are no problems when it is implemented nationwide.

Supervisors may not agree because it will put extra burden on them if schools have schedules that differ from one another

The first problem will arise from the readiness of teachers regarding the autonomy given to them to set the number of lesson hours per week. Not all of them can do it. Even if they are capable of doing so, their works may not be immediately approved by the supervisor or the head of the local education office. Supervisors may not agree because it will put extra burden on them if schools have schedules that differ from one another. In the end, there will be uniformity in one area so that the autonomy given to the education unit cannot be realized. Second, the autonomy given to an education unit at the elementary and junior high school levels to determine the approach model to be used in learning -- whether it will be subject-based or thematic – will be difficult to realize because it will rely on the decision of the supervisor and the head of the education office and the availability of textbooks, except the change will also open up more bustling textbook business opportunities because one publisher will produce two types of books at once: subject-based and thematic.

Third, the problem of the quality of education may arise due to the merging of science and social lessons in elementary schools. Elementary school is the foundation for scientific thinking, and one of the ways to instill scientific thinking is through science lessons. If the science lessons are combined with social studies, won\'t it get duller?

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

One of robots made by students of vocational school SMK Santo Mikael, Solo, are featured in an educational exhibition at junior high school SMP Pangudi Luhur, Ambarawa, Semarang regency, Central Java, on Saturday (13/1/2019). The exhibition was held in conjunction with the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the junior high school. Various schools began to aggressively promote themselves to attract prospective students through the education exhibition.

After all, science lessons have practical uses in everyday life, including elementary school children. Knowledge of density, thermal expansion, temperature and heat, energy, light, vibration, waves and sound is the basic knowledge that children need to know in their daily lives so that they will not be harmed by their ignorance. If science is combined with social studies, to what extent can the basic knowledge be given to elementary school students?

At the high school level, when majors/specializations are carried out in the ninth grade, studying in high school will be increasingly unfocused. Students who don\'t like math, physics, chemistry or history will suffer for a year. The existence of majors/interests in Vocational/Creative Works as well as Arts and Culture in high school also will make the direction of high school education unfocused: preparing candidates to enter universities or becoming a competitor of vocational high school (SMK) ?

With so many problems that will arise, it is very possible that this PSP Curriculum will only last during the term of Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim. After that, it may return to the 2013 Curriculum. It is just that and it is a pity for those who have become the guinea pigs of Minister Nadiem Makarim, who has gone astray.

Ki Darmaningtyas, a member of the executive board of the Tamansiswa Big Family Association (PKBTS)

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi).