KPAI Wants History Lessons Not Dominated By War History And Jawasentris

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Commissioner for the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) Retno Listyarti asked the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemdikbud) to change the curriculum content in historical subjects to be improved.

According to Retno, the current history curriculum is dominated by events of war, violence, and stories centered in Java (jawasentris).

"There are historical curriculum contents and history subject matter that must be improved, as well as the historical learning methods, while the Ministry of Education and Culture is simplifying the curriculum," Retno said in her statement, Sunday, September 20.

Retno considered the values learned in the history of the nation to be role models for the younger generation, as well as increasing appreciation of the work of the predecessors. Therefore, according to him, the domination of warfare in the history curriculum could be reduced.

"Indonesia's historical curriculum is dominated by a history of war and violence. Perhaps this needs to be corrected so that the younger generation does not misinterpret as if the history of our nation is full of violence so that later generations will emulate it," said Retno.

Retno is worried that the younger generation will solve problems by violence, not through dialogue. In fact, history learning can be a strategic instrument to shape the character of the younger generation as the nation's successor.

In addition, Retno also considered that the historical curriculum should not be dominated by past events centered on Java.

"The historical curriculum provides a historical place for other regions, so that Papuan children, Acehnese children, Kalimantan children, Sulawesi children, Sumatran children learn the history of Java, even though the region also has a history worthy of learning from the children of this nation," he said.

Basically, Retno agreed that the History curriculum should be simplified. However, Retno disagrees if the Ministry of Education and Culture places history as an optional subject.

"I think that placing history as a subject of choice is not the right choice. All children, both at the high school and vocational school levels, have the right to receive history lessons with the same weight and quality," he added.

Initially, the polemic about the elimination of history subjects was busy on social media. This plan is contained in the draft of the National Curriculum Simplification and Assessment socialization dated August 25.

In this design, it is stated that the Ministry of Education and Culture plans to make this subject not compulsory for SMA and SMK students and the equivalent. Later, the lessons that are usually required to be followed are now optional lessons, which high school students can take or not.

However, according to the Head of the Ministry of Education and Culture's Research and Development Agency and Books Totok Supriyatno, there is no plan for his ministry to eliminate these lessons. He emphasized that the subjects will still be taught at school. Moreover, this subject is important because it discusses the journey of the Indonesian nation.

"The Ministry of Education and Culture prioritizes history as an important part of the diversity and diversity of the Indonesian nation's life journey, at present and in the future," said Totok.

Furthermore, Totok said that the Ministry of Education and Culture will not abolish certain subjects. He said his ministry was making efforts to simplify the curriculum. However, this plan is still in the early stages or is still in the stage of academic study.

The simplification of this curriculum, said Totok, was done as an effort to improve the quality of national education. "The studies that continue to be carried out pay attention to the various results of the evaluation of curriculum implementation. Both the government and the community are doing as well as the change in the paradigm of diversity rather than uniformity in curriculum implementation," he said.

He emphasized that, in principle, the Ministry of Education and Culture will carefully consider the simplification of this curriculum with all parties. They also hope for input from all education stakeholders.

"Including educational organizations, experts and observers who are an important part of education policy making," he said.