Curriculum Changes Are Not A Guarantee For Improvement Of Education Quality

JAKARTA Curriculum is a very important tool for the success of education. Without a suitable and appropriate curriculum, it will be difficult to achieve the educational goals and goals desired by all parties. Several times the education curriculum in Indonesia was replaced with the hope that these changes could improve the quality of education that was adjusted to the development and progress of the times.

Since Indonesia's independence, the national education curriculum has undergone successive changes, namely in 1947 with a curriculum still influenced by the Dutch colonial education system, then there was a curriculum change in 1952, 1964, and in 1968.

Seven years later in 1975 the education curriculum was replaced again, in 1984, in 1994, in 2004 which was developed by the competency-based curriculum (KBK), and in 2006 it was replaced with the Education Unit Level Curriculum (KTSP), until finally the Merdeka Curriculum which was implemented in 2021.

Now, the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen), Abdul Mu'ti revealed the concept of deep learning with three main elements, namely mindful, MEANingful, and joyful as a substitute for the Independent Curriculum. Mu'ti said that the current subject matter is too dense and needs to be simplified with the material submitted to students that is lighter, but remains deep or known as deep learning.

Mindful learning

Mindful learning means respecting the diversity and involvement of each student in the learning process. Meanwhile, meaningful learning means encouraging students to think critically and understand the reasons behind every material learned. The joyful learning makes the learning process fun with the aim of making students feel satisfied and gain a deep understanding.

Seep learning is not just gathering facts, but rather exploring knowledge and linking them to everyday life. This is so that learning is not only limited to knowing information, it is also able to apply this knowledge in a broader context," he said.

Education observer Sunardi revealed that ideally the education curriculum should be regularly reviewed once every ten years. The goal is that the education curriculum can adjust the development and needs of the increasingly dynamic era. Thus, curriculum changes are expected to improve the quality of education in Indonesia.

"Especially if we talk about Indonesia Gold 2045 during the commemoration of a century of Indonesian independence. The process of getting there must certainly be prepared from an early age, including education which is expected to produce superior human resources," he said.

Unfortunately, the ideal level related to the education curriculum cannot be applied in Indonesia. Because, said Sunardi, education policies often change, which causes the continuity of policies in the world of education to be very weak. Every time there is a change in leadership and often makes policy changes without an in-depth evaluation," he added.

According to him, the change in Indonesia's education curriculum is influenced by many things such as the condition of global political socio, strengthening the country's ideology, and the dynamics of society. But in Indonesia, curriculum changes are like the routine of the government every time there is a change of minister of education. Every time changing ministers will change the curriculum. Making a new curriculum will spend trillions of money. Change the curriculum too if the teachers are not ready, it's the same as wasting money," he said.

He emphasized that the basic thing to improve the quality of education in Indonesia is to make a blueprint for education. Thus, state finances are not wasted just to dismantle the pairs of education curriculum.

"I just look at the process that is repeated. So it's normal for the minister to change it, the curriculum is replaced again. Why not make a blueprint first so that the foothold is there so that the ministers change and there will be no dismantling of the curriculum pairs again," explained Sunardi.

The National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), Ubaid Martaji, assessed that increasing teacher competence in Indonesia is far more important than changing the curriculum too often. According to him, changes in the education curriculum will be in vain if it is not supported by the quality of educators who are still absent.

"So there are 8 educational standards, financing standards, quality standards, teacher standards, standard facilities, standard processes, and so on, it must be evenly distributed, it must be good. If the standard is still bad and below the average, yes, we can't do much like that," he said.

He stated that the government has done too many changes to the education curriculum in Indonesia. However, the root of the problem in education in Indonesia is that the issue of teacher competence has not been resolved. For example, we have a bad score, for example, say English. Our teachers, for example, yes, the English competence is only 300 toefl. Even though the minimum standard of teachers is a Toefl, there are 500 English teachers," he said.

Then we are noisy with the curriculum, well, the curriculum must be removed, this curriculum must be integrated, this learning method must be attractive. But we have to know that our teacher has a score of 300 Toefl," continued Ubaid.

He emphasized that the concept of a good curriculum must be supported by improving the quality of teachers and improving educational facilities. Thus, curriculum changes are not just a formality that seems to change the minister's curriculum too. Educators who become intermediaries in the curriculum must understand the concept of the national education curriculum well, so that they can transform to students.

"If the curriculum is ineffective and difficult to realize perfectly, then what happens is confusion and misunderstanding. If that happens, then the most victims are students," concluded Ubaid.

Member of Commission X DPR Sofyan Tan reminded the government not to change the education curriculum. The reason is, the turnover of the curriculum will have an impact on various education service infrastructures, especially in terms of HR infrastructure, especially for teachers throughout Indonesia, which amount to 3,328,000 people.

The curriculum change will affect more than 3 million teachers. Unfortunately, they must return to learning and adapt to the new curriculum. Even though yesterday they also had difficulties," he said.

According to him, the government should make adjustments to existing policies, including in terms of curriculum, not all must be changed completely. Adjust only. Good things must be continued or continued. What is still not improved. I believe change is important, but that doesn't mean you have to continue to make changes because the impact is very significant," he added.

In addition, changes in the curriculum will also affect the justice of educational services in Indonesia. This is because the readiness of schools in each region is very different. We cannot close our eyes, access to quality and educational infrastructure is not evenly distributed in Indonesia. Imagine if those in areas where access to education is inadequate, must start something new again. I think it will be very difficult, "he said.

Indonesia has various socio-economic, geographical, and educational conditions that are still lacking in various regions. Students in remote areas often have limitations in terms of access to learning sources, school infrastructure, and assistance from teaching staff," added Sofyan