The Implementation Of The Independent Learning Program Needs To Be Evaluated

In the concept of Freedom of Learning, teachers are given the freedom to innovate in teaching. (Between/Basri Marzuki)

JAKARTA Human Resources Development (HR) is absolute. New ways and values are needed to answer the challenges of the times that are changing so fast today. Don't get caught up in a monotonous routine.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has repeatedly made this statement. When writing the 2015-2085 Indonesia dream on December 30, 2015, he placed the construction of human resources in number one.

The President wants Indonesia's human resource intelligence to outperform other nations in the world. So that later Indonesia can become a center of education, technology, and civilization and become a barometer of world economic growth.

"We want Indonesia to become a developed country and one of the 5 world economic powers with superior human quality and master science and technology, a much better and more equitable people's welfare, as well as national resilience and strong and authoritative governance," Jokowi said in describing his vision and mission.

Realizing it is certainly no longer able to use the old ways. Jokowi said, 'We need large endowment funds for our human resource management. Cooperation with industry is also important to optimize. Also the use of technology that facilitates reach to all corners of the country.'

"No longer our work is oriented towards the process, but must be oriented towards results, real results," he said.

Thus, learning based on problem solving, project-based, and portfolio-based learning is very important to put forward, compared to just relying on the process and learning process side.

Minister Nadiem Makarim described it through the concept of Freedom of Learning. Creating a more effective system and culture of learning and teaching, pro-active, creative, innovative, independent, contextual and emanciatory, as well as in line with global changes in today's world of education.

In this concept, all stakeholders, especially educational institutions and teachers, are expected to become agents of change. They are free to innovate to explore the potential that exists in teachers, schools, and students in improving personal quality.

Nadiem in his speech on National Education Day, May 2, 2023, claimed that the concept, which is currently in episode 24, has succeeded in bringing major changes.

Bringing the world of Indonesian education closer to the noble ideals of Ki Hadjar Dewantara, namely education that guides students' talents, interests, and potential in order to be able to achieve the highest safety and happiness as a human being and as a member of society.

"Our children can now learn more calmly because their learning activities are considered more holistic by their own teachers," said Nadiem.

Principals and regional heads who used to have difficulty monitoring the quality of education can now use National assessment data on educational report platforms to improve the quality of education services. Likewise, teachers. Used to be bound by various rigid regulations, now they are more free to innovate in class.

Selection to enter state universities is now focusing on the size of literacy and reasoning capabilities.

"The screen that we have expanded should not be folded again. We must continue the journey, we must continue the struggle so that all the nation's children feel truly independent in learning and aspire," added Nadiem.

Deputy Secretary General of the Federation of Indonesian Teachers' Unions (FSGI), Mansur admitted that Freedom of Learning is certainly a good concept. The goal is to achieve quality education through transformation of 4 things, namely infrastructure and technology, policies, procedures and funding for leadership, as well as the pedagogical curriculum and assessment (assessment).

However, it is too much to say that it has been successful evenly. In reality, there are still many educational institutions that feel confused in implementing Freedom of Learning because socialization is not massive and not simultaneously. So, sometimes there are mistakes in describing the concept of Freedom of Learning in each episode.

"For example, the initial episode goes to college, the next episode enters secondary education, basic education, then returns to college. Sometimes due to socialization, the implementation in one episode could hinder the implementation of other episodes," Mansur told VOI on May 2, 2023.

For example, episode 4 concerning the appointment of organizing organizations, and episode 5 regarding the appointment of driving teachers that seem to be running independently.

This is quite confusing for a number of educational institutions and teachers, even having caused reactions to public distrust, especially in the recruitment process to the implementation model. Not to mention infrastructure and technology problems.

"So, the Minister's speech only touched on the successes of the concept, but the Minister did not explain how far these concepts had succeeded in changing the learning paradigm in schools. For example, there are thousands of schools, how many tens or hundreds of schools have succeeded in providing learning according to the paradigm of the Merdeka Belajar model. This should be a concern," he said.

Mansur assessed that there must still be an evaluation. The Ministry of Education and Culture-Research and Technology needs to collaborate with local governments to organize massive and quality trainings for school principals and educators.

Thus, socialization can be carried out in a structured manner. In the end, the goal of the concept of Freedom of Learning is to be fully accepted. The essence, Merdeka Learning is a good concept. Far from having excesses from the previous curriculum, it's just a matter of implementation that needs to be evaluated," he added.