Jakarta – This government has been trying to live up to its constitutional mandate by allocating 20 percent of the state budget toward various education programs across the country this year.
An additional Rp 53 trillion (US$5.5 billion) to last year's education budget of Rp 154 trillion is expected to improve the quality of education in the country.
National Education Minister Muhammad Nuh said earlier this December that a lion's share of the Rp 207.41 trillion allocated to education this year had gone to the regions, mostly to pay for teachers' salaries. The fund also covered the School Operational Fund (BOS) and the renovation or construction of schools.
But has the hefty amount of money met people's expectations of what good money can buy: a quality education for all? Many believe it has fallen short of the mark.
Education experts have often criticized the country's lack of schools with high quality teachers, teaching methods and facilities. This has resulted in students that are not meeting the national graduation standards.
When the result of the senior high school national exam came out earlier this year, the nation was faced with the shocking reality that not a single student in 19 schools from various regions in the country had passed the minimum score of 5.50 out of 10 required for graduation.
The story goes that the students in the 19 senior high schools allegedly cheated out of fear they might not pass the exam. However, their cheat sheets turned out to be false, but luckily the students got off the hook and were given a second chance to make up their scores.
In total, the ministry conducted extra exams in more than 30 schools whose students did not pass the national exam because they relied on incorrect cheat sheets.
The ministry's data shows that in 2008, more than 35 percent of senior high school graduates did not continue their education to a higher institution.
If the scope is expanded to include Islamic high schools also, the number increases significantly. Only 17 percent of graduates went on to study in universities.
The national exam itself has sparked controversy among education experts.
The Supreme Court also jumped on the wagon in late November, issuing a ruling that orders the government to withdraw the end-of-study test.
Nuh, however, said the ministry would go ahead with the exams for students of junior and senior high schools in March and April. He also said that he would seek a case review of the court's ruling.
Experts claim the low quality of graduates is also a result of the low quality of teachers. The government's teacher certification program, introduced more than three years ago, has certified more than 350,000 teachers from across the country, out of a total 2.7 million teachers.
The certification program has improved the welfare of those who are eligible to be certified by granting certain benefits, including monthly allowances of up to one month of teachers' basic salaries. The government hopes this incentive will encourage teachers to gain the qualifications required for certification and in turn improve the education system nationally.
But criticisms are rife regarding the effectiveness of the certification program in improving teachers' quality, although many have acknowledged the government's efforts to increase teachers' welfare.
Chairman of the Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) Sulistiyo said in September there was no guarantee the certification program would immediately boost the quality of teaching.
Critics have said that through the certification process teachers are encouraged to fulfill only administrative requirements, such as collect credit points from attending seminars or workshops, and therefore does not reflect their teaching competency.
Noted education expert Arief Rachman said the program did not offer great insight into the quality of an individual teacher or their ability to manage a class.
Still, among the overwhelming news of the low quality of the country's education, some students have managed to standout with sterling performances.
Earlier this year, Indonesian students snatched six gold medals in the International Conference of Young Scientists 2009 in Pszczyna, Poland. They brought home 10 medals in total.
Children are among the two percent of Indonesian students that have outstanding performances in science, says the National Education Ministry. They are the two percent that triumphed in the national and international science Olympics.
The rest of the pack, the 98 percent, still has much room for improvement.
The budget for education next year is planned to increase to Rp 209.5 trillion, but although the National Education Ministry has not implemented any new programs, it seems it is expecting a different result, as allocation will remain similar, with half of it covering teacher salaries.
Critics have again slammed this decision, saying that there will only be a portion left for improving other budget items, although the ministry said that teacher certification, BOS and school rehabilitation programs would still be a top priority in 2010. (adh)