IO, Jakarta – Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim has repeated the directives given to him by President Joko Widodo (“Jokowi”) concerning the latest curricula for formal education. The President wants a curriculum that stimulates students’ competence, instead of mere memorization of information. “As per the President’s directives, the change in the curriculum is not just about change in content. The important thing is simplification of the curriculum, and the method to explain the lessons must also be different,” he said in his office in Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday (06/11/2019).
Nadiem stated that this directive is a huge mass of homework for him, and that it will take quite some time for him before he can satisfy this request. Jokowi’s request needs to be considered thoroughly before being implemented. He said that he needs the help of teachers, “As they are the ones who face the students daily and know what these students need to learn. We need to consider the curriculum properly, and the teachers’ insight is invaluable,” he said.
Nadiem reiterates that his framework for perfecting the national educational system, both in terms of simplification of mechanisms and the change of overall curriculum, refers to the teachers’ need to be able to teach properly. He stated that teachers know best what their students need. “What is my framework, my basis for making all sorts of improvements, whether the simplification or any other changes in the curriculum? Again, I refer to teachers again. What kind of curriculum is the most useful for teachers? That’s the key really, because teachers know what is most relevant for their students, how best to teach, etc.,” he said. (des)