Kemendikbud Controversy And Nadiem's Fate In The Cabinet

JAKARTA - The issue of reshuffle volume 2 continues to roll, with President Joko Widodo confirmed to inaugurate two new ministers in the near future. As is known, the news of the reshuffle came after the DPR approved the government's request regarding the existence of 2 new ministries. Namely, the merger of the Ministry of Education and Research and Technology, and the Ministry of Investment.

However, until now Jokowi has yet to announce the results of his cabinet reshuffle. Various parties also guessed which ministerial officials would be reshuffled.

Recently, the name of the Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud) Nadiem Makarim has increasingly been dragged into the category of minister who deserves to be replaced. A number of circles have said that Nadiem deserves to be reshuffled because his policy has often generated controversy.

Even since he was just appointed, the Gojek boss has been bombarded with criticism. Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem is in the spotlight because there is no phrase 'religion' in the draft Education Roadmap for the next three decades.

The absence of the word has caused controversy. The Draft Education Roadmap contains the vision for education for 2035, this reads:

Vision of Indonesian Education 2035. Developing the Indonesian people to become superior, continuously developing, prosperous, and noble lifelong learners by cultivating the cultural values of Indonesia and Pancasila.

Chairman of the Muhammadiyah Central Leadership (PP), Haedar Nashir then highlighted the sound of the sentence above. He did not find 'religion' from the draft formulation at the latest on 11 December 2020. Haedar assessed that this Education Roadmap was against the constitution because it did not contain 'religion'.

"I asked, the loss of the word religion was an omission or was it on purpose? Okay, if Pancasila is the basis (of the state), but why does culture enter?" said Haedar Nashir in a release on Muhammadiyah's official website as quoted on Sunday, March 7.

With the absence of 'religion' from the draft Education Roadmap, children in this country of Pancasila could be affected. He referred to paragraph 5 of Article 31 of the 1945 State Constitution. This is what it reads:

The government advances science and technology by upholding religious values and national unity for the advancement of civilization and the welfare of mankind

It is clear that there are 'religious values' in that paragraph of the constitution. According to Haedar, the Education Roadmap should also contain religious values. He concluded that the Education Roadmap was inconsistent with Article 31.

However, good luck still surrounds Nadiem to continue to stay in the cabinet.

"Indeed, Nadiem is ready to accept the risk and he will continue (despite the many criticisms, ed). I think the risk is political shocks and education. I think everything needs to be organized. So I think at this crossroads of Nadiem. If the president gets tremendous pressure and surrenders, of course. will change, "said former Deputy Minister of Education and Culture (Wamendikbud), Fasli Jalal, told reporters, Wednesday, April 14.

Fasli also highlighted that Nadiem had been involved in controversy several times for something that was not too substantial. He considered Nadiem's statements sometimes unreasonable and difficult to understand.

"There are approach jargons which sometimes if properly understood it is not like that, but sometimes it is used to attack him that he lacks a religious philosophy, is not in it, then whatever. On the first day, he attended a graduation ceremony where the professor with his great gown he attended a graduation ceremony. wearing jeans, it was also excited. But from the start I was patient, "said Fasli Jalal.

Fasli then gave positive evaluation suggestions to the Ministry of Education and Culture. According to him, the president could consider inaugurating a deputy minister with an academic background.

"We will give him the opportunity to work harder. Hopefully Nadiem will be more experienced, he's a new person. Maybe new people will immediately succeed. Maybe look for a senior Deputy Minister who is close to the President but who is also respected in the field of education. good, "he advised.

Some time ago, there was an argument about Mendikbud Nadiem Makarim removing Pancasila from the list of compulsory courses following the issuance of Government Regulation Number 57 of 2021 concerning National Education Standards (PP SNP).

Inevitably, Nadiem was the target of suspicion. He is thought to have no understanding of Pancasila, etc. After being heavily criticized here and there, Minister Nadiem finally revised this PP. Pancasila and Indonesian are still required to be taught in schools and colleges.

In less than a week, the Ministry of Education and Culture again caused an uproar with the circulation of the Indonesian History Dictionary manuscript which did not include the founder of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Kiai Hasyim Asy'ari, as a figure who played a major role in the history of struggle and independence.

This was immediately criticized by the PBNU and Islamic political parties such as PKS and PKB. Related to that, the Ministry of Education and Culture admits that the history book is not official from its institution.

PKB, which has many NU reports, asked the Ministry of Education and Culture to audit the procurement of the textbooks. If necessary, the Ministry of Education and Culture will immediately withdraw the Indonesian History Dictionary Volume I from circulation so that it is not qualified by scholars.

"I am worried that the Ministry of Education and Culture is being infiltrated by the anti-Pancasila sect. Because lately there have been many strange incidents. Pak Nadiem also has to remind his subordinates. Remember Green Coat, Never Eliminate Ulama Services, you will be qualified!" Said the Deputy Chairman of the DPP. PKB, Jazilul Fawaid in Jakarta, Tuesday, April 20.

With a merger of ministries and a series of controversies, will Nadiem be free from Jokowi's reshuffle?

Regarding the liquidation of ministries, political observer from LIMA, Ray Rangkuti, assessed that Nadiem Makarim would be inconvenienced if he oversaw two ministries at the same time. Namely, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Research and Technology if they are merged.

"I think Nadiem will be inconvenienced if it comes down to problems related to research. Maybe if the Ministry of Education and Culture can still be handled, but what about the research? Because this is not a job that can be done casually," Ray told VOI, Wednesday, April 15.

Meanwhile, UIN political observer Syarif Hidayatullah Gun Gun Heryanto, assessed that the one who is prone to being reshuffled is the Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Makarim. Where in the history of the Ministry of Education and Culture it is an anomaly, because usually the seat of the Minister of Education and Culture is given to large mass organizations with a political background of representation.

"There are usually Muhammadiyah mass organizations. That's why yesterday during the first reshuffle, Pak Jokowi had time to offer the ministry to Prof. Abdul Mu'ti but it was rejected. Because Muhammadiyah's position is usually a minister, this is also whether Pak Jokowi returns to the politics of accommodation for key audiences, especially Muhammadiyah who arrived. today is not satisfied. Now, in my opinion, Nadiem will be threatened, "he explained.

Meanwhile, political observer Karyono Wibowo assessed that if Nadiem Makarim still served as the Ministry of Education and Culture as well as Research and Technology, it would be a heavy burden for his duties.

"The Minister of Education and Culture, especially with adding research and technology, is a heavy burden. Therefore, in my opinion, because this is the world of education and involves research and technology, it is better if people have professional track records in their fields," Karyono explained to VOI, Tuesday, April 20.

"This position must also be sterile from political interests and premordial ties as well as all political interests. So that it is hoped that the Ministry of Education and Culture can truly realize the expectations of society to create intelligent people. Apart from professionals who have competence and a long track record in this field, a deputy ministerial position is needed. , "he added.

Even if Nadiem Makarim is still retained as Minister of Education and Culture, Karyono thinks there needs to be a deputy minister to accompany the former Gojek boss. This is because, said Karyono, culture and technology research both require special attention.

"Even if Nadiem is retained, he is from a professional, so there needs to be a deputy minister. If possible, not only one deputy minister, it could be two Education and Culture and Research and Technology. Because culture also requires serious attention from the state amid the penetration of foreign culture that enters all lines, especially education. culture is important, there needs to be an in-line world of education so that everything goes well, the focus needs to be a separate division, "he explained.

"Even though the ministries are merged into one, at least there must be a wamen (deputy minister, red) who has the main tasks and functions of culture and technology research," he added.

Karyono admitted that as a young minister, Nadiem had many new ideas. However, if he had to lead the Ministry of Education and Culture and Technology, Nadiem would definitely be "overwhelmed".

"I do agree that Nadiem Makarim has ideas for new innovations, but his flying hours are still not enough, his experience in education is inadequate, so I think there is a need for a learning by doing process. He is good, but if assigned as minister of cultural education and research and technology, he is still unable , it's too heavy, "said Karyono.

He also suggested, if Nadiem was still in the cabinet then it would be more suitable to be a deputy minister at the Ministry of Education and Culture and Research and Technology. Meanwhile, the ministers were drawn from experienced circles.

"It's not a problem, he (Nadiem, red) the Deputy Minister, which is important for the nation and the country. We need innovation to face the 4.0 industrial revolution, there needs to be an anti-mainstream breakthrough that is sometimes needed by people like Nadiem," said Karyono Wibowo.