JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The existence and performance of education councils at the regional level and school committees at the school level are being sued and questioned. In many regions, the two main points of entry for public participation in educational matters are simply not understanding the conditions and development of education and schools in their region.
In fact, the two community representatives should be able to improve the quality of education and students in their respective places.
The issue of education boards and school committees is one of the crucial and strategic educational issues discussed at the National Symposium "Breaking the Foundation of Mental Revolution in the Education System in Indonesia".
The symposium, which took place from Monday and ended Wednesday (25/2) at the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemdikbud), was organized by the Ministry of Education and Culture together with the Civil Society Coalition for Educational Transformation. This coalition consists of Article 33 Indonesia, Indonesia Corruption Watch, Satu Karya Karsa Foundation (YSKK), Paramadina Public Policy Institute, NEW Indonesia, and Pattiro Banten.
In discussions in the education council and school committee discussion groups, it was agreed that the importance of a platform for the public to take part in education is still important. The question is whether the education board and school committee are still the right forum. The participants assessed that both platforms had deviated from their roles and functions. The school committee in many schools only functions as a fundraiser for school activities.
"If there are (members of) the school committee who are critical, those people are replaced by the school. In fact, it is increasingly difficult to find people who want to become (members of) school committees and education boards. "People need to be encouraged to join these two platforms," said YSKK Director Suroto.
Important role
Agnes Tuti Rumiati from the Ministry of Education and Culture believes that the position of the education board and school committee is very important because it is the entry point for public involvement. These two institutions should be able to help improve educational conditions, at least reducing the number of children dropping out of school in their areas. To determine the performance of the two institutions, the Ministry of Education and Culture created performance measures. ”Measuring performance is easy. "Just see if the school gets better after there is a school committee," he said.
Chitra Retna from Article 33 believes that so far the school committee has had no bargaining position in the school because the members' assignment letters are signed by the school principal. School committee members should be appointed by the district/city education council because they are part of civil society.
More than 150 participants representing organizations from civil society and directorate generals sat together to discuss various education problems in Indonesia. This symposium will produce recommendations for formulating mechanisms for public involvement in dealing with education issues.
There are six educational issues that are considered crucial and strategic which will be discussed by six groups. Each group consists of civil society representatives from a number of regions in Indonesia as well as first and second echelon officials from the Ministry of Education and Culture.
The six issues are access and affordability, basic education budget, revitalization of education boards and school committees, quality and curriculum, improving teacher quality and welfare, as well as teacher management and distribution. The results of discussions from the six clusters in this symposium will be formulated on Wednesday morning to become recommendations and joint commitments for educational development priorities in Indonesia.
→ The function of the education council and school committee is being questioned.
→ The school committee, which should be a place for citizens to get involved in education, is now only a fundraiser.
→ School management is more dominant. Critical school committee members will be replaced by the school.
DAYLIGHT COMPASS Pages: 8
Author: Luki Aulia
Photo: SMKN 36 Jakarta COMPASS/ESTER LINCE NAPITUPULU
Schools play a role in making parents aware of the need to work together in educating children. At SMKN 36 Jakarta, parents and students are brought together to create a relationship full of love. School committees are important, not only warming up relationships between parents and students, but also involving the community in education as a whole.
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