Eliminate Educational Practice having No Diversity Value

Media Indonesia, page 11

The country should build a mechanism to supervise educational practice that is not in accordance with national ideology and diversity at schools. This was one of the recommendations for the government from the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) of educational group in seminar and workshop themed Indonesia at the Intersection: Country of Pancasila vs Country of Religion which was held in Aryaduta Hotel, Jakarta, on Saturday, April 8, 2017.

According to Secretary General (Sekjen) of Indonesian Conference on Religion and Peace (IRP), Musdah Mulia, the above practice often occurs, even in state schools. Such FGD was facilitated by Henny Supolo Sitepu and George Sicilia and resulted in four recommendation.

First, the country should create a policy to fight discrimination and intolerance in educational environment by involving women and children in the development of this educational policy. Second, the country should create an inclusive educational policy that supports and promotes meetings between groups of communities/ students.

Third, integrating the values of Pancasila as the nation’s ideology and living values such as tolerance, variety, and diversity into the educational curriculum. Fourth, developing teachers’ capacities, including religious teachers (Islamic schools, etc.) in understanding the values of Pancasila, national ideology, tolerance, and variety.

This FGD also results in recommendations for the community, one of which being to create the home and environment as an educational focus, parents and the community as a role model for children.