Happy School

Happy schools should always surround children's daily lives from an early age.

Efforts to eliminate the three major sins of education—namely sexual violence, bullying and intolerance—are still a big homework for the world of education in Indonesia. It is necessary to implement concrete policies, enforce strict rules, and create happy learning conditions so that these negative-destructive incidents do not continue to recur.

The Federation of Indonesian Teacher Unions (FSGI) recorded 30 cases of bullying in educational institutions throughout 2023. This number increased by nine cases compared to the previous year, indicating that the regulations that were made have not been optimally realized.

Out of those 30 cases, half of them occurred in junior high school, 30 percent in elementary school, 10 percent in high school, and 10 percent in vocational school. In junior high school, bullying occurred the most, both by students towards their peers and by educators.

Also read: Bullying cases in schools will increase during 2023

important factor

In the midst of such conditions, do our students feel calm, comfortable, happy, and joyful in following the learning process in our schools? The happiness of students in following the learning process is a very important factor in overcoming the learning crisis.

Students who are always happy are more motivated to learn, actively participate, make positive contributions in learning, and achieve better learning outcomes.

More specifically, students who are constantly surrounded by a happy atmosphere during the learning process will have high learning motivation, experience improved mental well-being, be more active and positively participate in school activities, have strong social relationships with the school community, and be able to improve their academic performance.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) placed happiness at the center of its education policy in its latest report. Happiness in schools has become an important factor in overcoming the learning crisis.

As reported by Unesco.org on Sunday (April 14, 2024), Stefania Giannini, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Education, stressed that when students are nurtured through joyful learning experiences in a school environment, they will become empowered adults who are capable of positively engaging with themselves, others, and the world around them.

After all, the foundation of peace lies in the minds of future generations.

A school environment that is happy and fosters an interesting pedagogy will improve the learning experience resulting in good outcomes. Therefore, we need to stop believing that achievement, excellence and rigor in school cannot be accompanied by joy and happiness.

Consistent with Giannini, senior analyst at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mario Piacentini, said that according to findings from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 evaluation, a sense of ownership and social relationships are the main drivers of student life satisfaction.

Education is not just about academic achievement, it is also about parenting as a whole.

Attention to the relationship between happiness and learning needs to be increased. Students are able to establish relationships with their friends and teachers with a sense of safety and confidence.

Also read: Educators' Moral Dilemma in Indonesia

Holistic approach

The UNESCO publication advocates a holistic approach to increasing happiness in schools in educational policy and practice.

In (our) Indonesian context, the concept of happy schools or happy schools must become a national movement to improve the quality of education. How do we strive to create a happy school?

To create a school that makes students happy, the education and learning process must be engaging and enjoyable.

When educating and teaching, teachers should not isolate children from the happiness of the current dynamic and spontaneous era. Teachers should not rob the happiness of the present from children just for the sake of their uncertain "future."

If teachers in schools are too ambitious in forcing their will, it is not impossible that it will actually have fatal consequences for the child. At present, they may be sweet and obedient children, but do not be surprised if someday they become uncontrollable rebels.

Teachers must educate and teach their students with love. Teachers must create a pleasant and conducive atmosphere; a learning situation that is free from fear, nurturing, full of love, sincere, empathetic, friendly, open, encouraging, forgiving, and participatory in the education and learning process.

Children should be viewed based on their uniqueness and not as adults who must be forced to fulfill roles and learn values that only apply to adults (Doni Koesuma, 2006).

Through a joyful learning process (based on love) that respects the child as a unique individual, they feel loved and appreciated for their existence. The child feels "humanized" and this is truly enjoyable and rewarding for them.

The happiness experienced by children today will play an important role in their future happiness. Pleasure and joy in the present will become the foundation for children to build their future.

Children who do not experience joy and happiness in the present will have difficulty finding joy and happiness in the future.

The treatment situations experienced by children today (including in the learning process at school) will become a blueprint for the child's attitudes and behavior in the future. If they experience and feel joy and happiness now, they will experience the same situation in the future. Vice versa.

The basis of this respect is that every individual was created by God uniquely, uniquely and second to none.

Realizing how important happy situations (which are based on the power of sincere love) are for the development of children's attitudes and behavior in the future, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi in his book,Education for Creative Living, proposes that happiness be the main goal of education .

Education should make children feel happy, happy and peaceful, not only in the future, but also in the present.

A happy school should always surround children's daily lives. They are invited from an early age to feel and experience happiness.

From an early age, they need to understand that happiness is not just about fulfilling materialistic-consumer needs, achieving personal ambitions, winning every game and competition, and ignoring others who need help.

Happiness is not only obtained by to have more, but also to give more.

In this context, educatio cura personalis est pedagogy is very important for us to reflect and implement in every educational and learning action in our schools. The reason is that this pedagogy really emphasizes attention to the dignity of the human person. In this pedagogy, the human person becomes the core of education itself.

There are three main pillars contained in this educatio cura personalis est pedagogy, namely attention to the human person, respect for the uniqueness of each individual, and man with and for others (see A Warsono , 2003).

Heart approach

Educatio cura personalis est prioritizes a heart approach. With this approach, an educator (and educational institutions) are expected to educate their students first not with their physical bodies and brains, but with their hearts full of love. Therefore, attention to each human person is important.

This pedagogy also respects the uniqueness of each individual. The basis of this respect is that every individual was created by God in a unique and incomparable way.

Therefore, every individual with their unique characteristics must be respected to grow and develop responsibly. Excessive standardization will impede creativity and individuality.

This pedagogy also not only educates humans for themselves, but more than that to become humans together and for others, to be man/woman with and for others.

This means that all forms of egoism and individualism are being slowly eroded. Being a human being for others means developing tolerance, solidarity, dialogue, and cooperation with others.

That is why, Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) (Doni Koesuma, 2006) emphasized that education is primarily directed at perfecting the human mind through teaching (ratio perfectior ad instruendum) which culminates in education for the soul (instructione quantum ad animan).

This can only happen if teachers in the process of education and learning are always full of joy, happiness, and love in their hearts. This can only be realized if our schools are schools that bring happiness.

Y Priyono Pasti , Teacher at St Fransiskus Assisi Middle School/Senior High School, Pontianak, West Kalimantan