Sekolah Jauh Beri Asa Anak Orang Rimba di Hutan Harapan

The Jakarta Post, halaman 5

Berkat dibukanya kelas jauh di SDN 49/I Bengkulu, kini anak-anak Orang Rimba di Jambi, Sumatera Tengah, tidak lagi asing dengan pendidikan.

Kelas jauh ini dpat menampung hingga 40 siswa anak Orang Rimba yang tinggal di hutan Harapan. Namun, dari jumlah itu, hanya sekitar 20 hingga 25 anak yang menjadi siswa aktif, karena masih banyak orang tua yang membutuhkan anak-anak mereka untuk membantu berburu atau bercocok tanam.

Rio Afrian, guru program kelas jauh tersebut mengatakan bahwa kelas jarak jauh tersebut diperuntukkan bagi anak-anak suku Batin IX. Dua ruangan kelas telah dibuat untuk menampung empat kelompok anak-anak suku terasing itu yang masing-masing bernama Mitra Zone, Tanding, Gelinding, dan Simpang Macan Luar.

Rio menjelaskan, para siswa tersebut dibagi menjadi dua tingkat. Kelas lebih tinggi, lanjutnya, untuk siswa kelas empat hingga enam, sedangkan kelas lebih rendah dirancang untuk anak kelas tiga.

Kelas dimulai dari pukul delapan pagi hingga pukul satu siang. Siswa kelas lebih bawah belajar cara membaca, menulis dan berhitung sederhana. Sedangkan, siswa kelas lebih tinggi belajar tentang sains dan ilmu sosial.

Karena para siswa tersebut adalah anak penduduk asli setempat, maka pelajaran yang diberikan harus relevan dengan kehidupan mereka sehari-hari. Semisal menggunakan bahan-bahan yang tersedia di hutan seperti ranting pohon sebagai alat bantu visual siswa untuk memahami matematika dasar.

Rio juga menggunakan istilah-istilah yang tidak asing di telinga mereka seperti nama buah-buahan dan binatang yang ada di hutan untuk belajar menulis. Meski memiliki ruang kelas, Rio menerapkan metode belajar sambil bermain, dimana sebagai besar kegiatan belajarnya berada di luar ruangan.

School gives hope to native students of Harapan forest

The Jakarta Post, page 5

More children of the Batin IX clan of the indigenous Orang Rimba tribe in Jambi, Central Sumatera, are no longer strangers to education, thanks to the opening of distance learning classes held at SD 49/I Bungku state elementary school.

The classes can accommodate up to 40 elementary students from the clan, which lives in the Harapan (hope) rainforest. However, only 20 to 25 of them are active students as many parents still require their children to go hunting or help with farming.

The program’s teacher, Rio Afrian said these [distance] classes are dedicated to the Batin IX children. He added that two classrooms had been built to accommodate four groups of children of the alienated tribe, namely of the Mitra Zone, Tanding, Gelinding, and Simpang Macan Luar groups.

Rio explained that the pupils are divided into two levels. The higher-level class is for students from grades four to six, while the lower-level class is designed for through third grade children, he said.

Lessons run from Monday through Saturday, starting from 8 a.m to 1 p.m. Lower-level students are taught how to read, write and do simple calculations, while higher-level students also learn basic natural and social sciences. He said because they are indigenous children, the subjects are delivered in a way that would be relevant to their daily life.

For instance, he made use of what was available in the forest, such as tree branches, as visual aids to help the students understand basic mathematics. He also used familiar terms, such as names of forest fruits and animals, in his writing class. Despite having physical classrooms, Rio implemented the “learning while playing” method, which mostly involves outdoor activities.

Ujian Nasional Membuat Orangtua Cemas

The Jakarta Post, halaman 2

Selasa itu, seorang ibu empat anak bernama Minah Febrianti, 44 tahun, mencoba untuk tetap fokus pada pekerjaannya di salah satu perusahaan swasta di Jakarta. Namun, pikirannya tertuju pada anaknya yang saat itu tengah mengikuti ujian nasional berbasis komputer (UNBK) hari pertama. Ujian tersebut akan menentukan apakah anaknya itu bisa masuk ke SMAN 26, sebuah SMA unggulan di kawasan Tebet, Jakarta Selatan.

Ia sempat berpikir untuk mengambil cuti agar dapat membantu anaknya, siswa kelas sembilan di SMPN 182 Jakarta Selatan, untuk mempersiapkan ujian yang dilaksanakan pada hari Selasa dan akan berlangsung sampai dengan hari Senin depan.

Namun, Minah tidak bisa meninggalkan pekerjaannya saat ini, meski hanya satu hari, karena ada pekerjaan penting yang harus diselesaikan. Minah juga khawatir jika anaknya tidak bisa mengoperasikan komputer, karena ia tahu anaknya tersebut baru pertama kali ini mengikuti UNBK.

Selama berlangsungnya UN, para orangtua yang ingin anaknya diterima di SMA favorit pun merasa resah. Untuk bisa masuk di sebuah SMA favorit di Jakarta, setidaknya siswa harus memperoleh nilai Sembilan untuk tiap mata pelajaran yang diujikan.

Yasmin Indah, salah seorang siswa kelas sembilan di SMPN 101 Jakarta Barat, mengatakan, ia khawatir jika nilai ujiannya tidak cukup bagus. ibunya pun mengkhawatirkannya dan terus menyuruhnya untuk belajar. Namun, Yasmin menyampaikan kepada orang tuanya bahwa ia dapat melalui ujian itu dengan baik dan tidak mengalami kesulitan ketika mengerjakan soal Bahasa Indonesia pada UN hari pertama.

Parents anxious over national exam

The Jakarta Post, page 2

Minah Febrianti, a 44-year-old mother of four, tried to focus on her work at a private company in Jakarta, on Tuesday.

But her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of her son taking his first computer-based national examination, which would determine whether he would be able to get into state senior high school SMAN 26, a popular high school known for its academic excellence in Tebet, South Jakarta.

She even though about taking paid leave so that she could help her son – a ninth-grade student at state junior high school SMPN 182 in South Jakarta – prepare for the exam, which started on Tuesday and will last through next Monday.

However, Minah said she was unable to leave her job at the moment, not even for a day, because she had urgent task to be done. Minah was also worried that her son would not be able to operate the computer, seeing how this was the first time her son has taken a computer-based exam.

Other parents, especially those whose children want to attend popular state senior high schools, are also restless during this crucial exam period. In order to be accepted at a prestigious state high school in Jakarta, a student is required to score at least nine out of 10 in each test subject.

Yasmin Indah, a ninth-grader at state junior high school SMPN 101 in West Jakarta, said she was afraid that her grades may not be good enough. She said her mother also feels jittery and keeps asking me to study. However, Yasmin said that her exam has been going well and she did not face any difficulties on her first day of testing, which assessed student on their Bahasa Indonesia skills.

Kemendikbud Siap Reformasi Pendidikan

Media Indonesia, halaman 22

Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan (Kemendikbud) siap melakukan reformasi pendidikan nasional pada tataran konseptual dan manajerial. Masyarakat juga diharapkan ikut menggerakkan upaya tersebut demi kemajuan dan keunggulan pendidikan.

Hal itu dikemukakan Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan (Mendikbud) Muhadjir Effendy dalam peringatan Hari Pendidikan Nasional (Hardiknas) di Jakarta, kemarin (Selasa, 2/5). Ia mengatakan, Kemendikbud bersiap melakukan reformasi pendidikan nasional. Dalam tataran konseptual, sekarang sedang diupayakan agar pendidikan karakter kembali menjadi fondasi dan roh pendidikan nasional.

Menurutnya, pembentukan karakter menjadi prioritas pada jenjang pendidikan dasar. Kemudian, pada jenjang lebih lanjut, kondisi bagi peserta didik untuk mengaktualisasikan potensi diri secara maksimal harus kondusif. Selanjutnya, memungkinkan peserta didik membekali diri dengan keterampilan dan keahlian yang berdaya kompetisi tinggi, yang dibutuhkan dunia abad ke-21.

Muhadjir menembahkan, melalui karakter yang kuat dan daya saing tinggi, peserta didik akan sanggup membawa bangsa Indonesia berdiri dengan tegak di antara bangsa-bangsa maju lainnya di masa yang akan datang. Dengan demikian, keberadaan bangsa Indonesia di tengah bangsa lain menjadi lebih bermartabat, berdaulat, dan bermaslahat.

Dalam reformasi pendidikan nasional, sambungnya, kerja keras yang konstruktif, penuh keikhlasan dan pengorbanan, serta pengabdian tulus seluruh insan pendidikan di seluruh Indonesia amat diharapkan. Oleh karena itu, Muhadjir juga mengajak masyarakat untuk menggerakkan reformasi pendidikan nasional.

Kemendikbud Ready to Reform Education

Media Indonesia, page 22

The Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) is ready to reform national education in the conceptual and managerial areas. In the name of progress and educational excellence, the community should also contribute to realize this effort.

This was stated by Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud), Muhadjir Effendy, at the celebration of National Education Day (Hardiknas) yesterday (Tuesday, 2/5), in Jakarta. He said that Kemendikbud was ready to reform the national education. In the conceptual area, attempts were being made for character building to return as the foundation and spirit of national education.

From his point of view, character building has become the priority at the primary education level. Thereafter, at the next level, education should be conducive for students to actualize and optimize their potential. Furthermore, education should enable students to acquire the high levels of competence in skills and expertise required in the 21st century.

Muhadjir added that through their strong characters and high levels of competitiveness, the students would in future be able to strengthen Indonesia’s standing among other developed countries, this adding to the dignity, sovereignty and benefit of Indonesia’s existence.

In the reformation of the nation’s education system, he said that expectations were high that students and others in education across Indonesia would show genuine dedication as well as make the sacrifice to undertake hard work and constructive efforts. Therefore, Muhadjir urged the community to support the reformation of national education.

Pendidikan Berkualitas untuk Semua

Kompas, halaman 12

Layanan pendidikan berkualitas yang merata dan dapat dinikmati seluruh warga bangsa harus menjadi ikhtiar bangsa ini dalam mencerdaskan kehidupan bangsa. Hal ini harus segera diwujudkan karena dunia berubah sangat cepat dan menuntut kualitas sumber daya manusia yang semakin tinggi.

Hal itu diungkapkan  Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Muhadjir Effendy dalam peringatan Hari Pendidikan Nasional (Hardiknas) di Jakarta, Selasa (2/5). Mendikbud mengatakan, semua pihak harus terus bekerja keras dalam meningkatkan mutu. Pencapaiannya harus dipercepat, tetapi juga merata,

Adapun peningkatan kualitas pendidikan, kata Muhadjir, dilakukan dengan mereformasi praksis pendidikan. Tujuannya untuk melahirkan generasi penerus bangsa yang memiliki karakter atau budi pekerti yang kuat, serta menguasai berbagai keterampilan hidup, vokasi, dan profesi abad ke-21. Pendidikan karakter, lanjutnya, dikembalikan menjadi fondasi dan roh pendidikan nasional,

Selain memperkuat pendidikan karakter, katanya, reformasi pendidikan yang akan dilakukan adalah dalam hal waktu belajar di sekolah, pengorganisasian pelajaran dan kegiatan belajar, serta tugas tanggung jawab dan peran guru dan tenaga kependidikan. Adapun reformasi pada tataran aksi ditandai dengan Gerakan Penguatan Pendidikan Karakter dan Gerakan Literasi Nasional.

High Quality Education for All

Kompas, page 12

High quality education evenly distributed and achievable by all communities should be the nation’s target for education. This must be promptly implemented, because of the rapidly changing world and demands for higher quality human resources.

This was stated by the Minister of Education and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy, at the celebration of National Education Day (Hardiknas) on Tuesday (2/5), in Jakarta. Mendikbud said that all parties should continue to work hard in upgrading the quality of education. However, while it was necessary to accelerate this achievement, it must also be evenly distributed.

In regard to upgrade the quality of education, Muhadjir said that this could be implemented through reforming the educational practice. The aim was to give birth to the next national generation who are strong in character and manner as well as masters of the various skills of life, vocations, and professions in the 21st century. In addition, he stated that character building has returned as the foundation and spirit of the national education.

Besides strengthening character building, he said that reformations of education to be implemented were in regard to the study time at school, subject organization and study activity, as well as the responsibility and role of the teacher and other educational personnel. Reformation in the action stage could be seen through the Character Building Strengthening Movement and National Literacy Movement.

 

Bersihkan Kampus dari Paham Radikalisme

Media Indonesia, halaman 1

Merebaknya intoleransi, radikalisme, dan terorisme di masyarakat, termasuk di kampus, membuat pimpinan 55 perguruan tinggi keagamaan Islam negeri (PTKIN) seluruh Indonesia membuat deklarasi untuk menghalaunya.

Terkait dengan hal itu, Forum Rektor Indonesia pun menyatakan hal sama. Wakil Ketua FRI Asep Saifuddin mengatakan walaupun ibaratnya hanya 1-2 kampus, tetap saja kampus merupakan tempat kaum intelektual dan calon intelektual. Karena itu, perlu kesepahaman bersama untuk memegang teguh Pancasila. Menurutnya, sebagai landasan ideologi negara, Pancasila sudah lengkap tinggal bagaimana kampus bisa mengisi Pancasila tersebut. Bila kampus sudah memegang teguh Pancasila sebagai landasan ideologi, lanjut Asep, segala paham negatif bisa diminimalisasi.

Sebelumnya, sebanyak 55 pemimpin PTKIN seluruh Indonesia sepakat menolak segala bentuk paham intoleran, radikalisme, dan terorisme. Mereka membuat Deklarasi Aceh. Deklarasi itu dibacakan Ketua Forum Pimpinan PTKIN Se-Indonesia, Dede Rosyada, pada 26 April saat pembukaan Pekan Ilmiah, Olahraga, Seni, dan Riset (Pionir) VIII di Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Ar-Raniry, Banda Aceh.

Di dalam deklarasi tersebut meyebutkan bahwa pimpinan PTKIN berjanji melarang berbagai bentuk kegiatan yang bertentangan dengan Pancasila, dan anti-NKRI, intoleran, radikal dalam keberagamaan, serta terorisme di seluruh PTKIN

Direktur Jenderal Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah, Kemendikbud, Hamid Muhammad mengungkapkan terdapat tiga sumber utama radikalisme di lembaga pendidikan, khususnya di sekolah, yakni dari buku bacaan, dari guru, dan yang sulit dikontrol dari media atau media sosial.

Clear Campuses from Radicalism

Media Indonesia, page 1

Widespread intolerance, radicalism, and terrorism in the public, including on campus, led the leaders of 55 state Islamic religious higher education (PTKIN) throughout Indonesia to make declarations to defy them.

Related to that, Indonesia Rectors’ Forum (FRI) also stated the same matter.  Vice Chairman of FRI Asep Saifuddin said even though it is only 1-2 campuses, still the campus is a place of intellectuals and prospective intellectuals. Therefore, a common understanding is needed to uphold Pancasila. According to him, as the foundation of the state’s ideology, Pancasila is complete and it is now up to the campus how it can fill Pancasila.  If the campus has been firmly upholding Pancasila as the foundation of ideology, continued Asep, all negative understandings could be minimized.

Previously, as many as 55 leaders of PTKIN throughout Indonesia agreed to reject all forms of intolerance, radicalism and terrorism. They made the Declaration of Aceh. The Declaration was read out by Chairman of the Leadership Forum of PTKIN throughout Indonesia, Dede Rosyada, on April 26, at the opening of Scientific, Sports, Arts, and Research (Pioneer) VIII Week at Ar-Raniry State Islamic University, Banda Aceh.

The declaration mentioned that the leadership of PTKIN vowed to prohibit various forms of activities that are against Pancasila, and anti-NKRI, intolerant, radical in religious teaching, and terrorism in all PTKI.

Director General of Primary and Secondary Education, Kemendikbud, Hamid Muhammad revealed that there are three main sources of radicalism in educational institutions, especially in schools, namely from books, from teachers, and that which are difficult to control are from media or social media.