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Indonesian universities urged to maintain neutrality amidst political landscape ahead of 2024 Election

Amidst Indonesia’s political climate leading up to the 2024 Presidential Election, education authorities stress universities’ duty to remain politically impartial.

The recent Constitutional Court ruling on 15 August bars worship-based political campaigns but permits them in certain settings with permissions.

The emphasis is on campuses to remain neutral, rise above tensions, and ensure unhindered teaching and learning.

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1 year ago

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INDONESIA: Responding to the recent Constitutional Court decision (Number 65/PUU-XXI/2023) on Election Law Article 280, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemdikbudristek) highlights universities’ obligation to uphold distance and neutrality from political involvements.

The decision, issued on 15 August, prohibits political campaigns within places of worship while allowing campaigns in government facilities, schools, and campuses, provided they have obtained permission from responsible authorities.

Relevant parties are also allowed to attend these events without campaign attributes.

“We hope that amidst the dynamics, campuses can keep their distance, remain neutral, and rise above the fray. We aim for a safe, peaceful political situation that doesn’t divide the nation,” stated the Acting Director General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology at Kemdikbudristek, Nizam, when contacted on Wednesday (23 Aug).

The Ministry of Education Responds to Constitutional Court’s Decision Allowing Campaigns on Campus. (Photo: the documentary of the Cabinet Secretariat).

Campuses urged to safeguard educational integrity amidst political activities

Nizam further emphasized that political activities should not disrupt the teaching and learning activities on campuses.

Therefore, he urged campuses to refrain from affiliating directly with any political activities.

The ministry is currently studying ways to ensure campuses maintain their integrity and neutrality.

“We are not yet aware of the exact regulations as we are still studying the rules and other regulations, such as those governing civil servants who are prohibited from campaigning.

However, there are many civil servants within campuses, so that might require further examination,” he explained.

The decision has raised varied responses from educational practitioners. The National Executive Board of the Education and Teachers Association (P2G) expressed concerns about campaigns in educational institutions, as they could disrupt the learning process.

Similarly, the Federation of Indonesian Teachers’ Union (FSGI) stated that the decision could jeopardize the safety of students and university students, arguing that educational institutions should remain neutral spaces for public interest rather than campaigning.

Ubaid Matraji, Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), shared these concerns.

He predicted that the court’s decision could have negative repercussions on the education ecosystem, potentially leading to conflicts and violence among students and within schools and universities.

Ubaid recommended that campuses and educational institutions organize forums that are more educational than provocative, focusing on intellectual discussions backed by arguments and data.

He stressed the importance of political education for young voters, as the absence of such education could lead to conflicts and violence.

He further suggested the formulation of detailed rules to govern political activities and campaigns within educational institutions, possibly by the General Elections Commission (KPU), Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), or the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.

These regulations are essential to preserve the dignity of education against the disruptive influences of politicians vying for electoral victory.

The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) also expressed regret over the Constitutional Court’s decision.

KPAI Commissioner Sylvana Apituley argued that campaigns should not be permitted within educational spaces, as schools should remain neutral from political activities.

Illustration: A classroom.

Safeguarding youth from inappropriate campaign content amidst election buzz

Sylvana highlighted the inappropriate content often found in political campaigns, which might not be suitable for children even if they are 17 years old and have voting rights.

She stressed the importance of political education, citizenship, and human rights for students and young voters.

KPAI revealed findings from a 10-year monitoring effort, identifying 15 instances of abuse, exploitation, and violence against children during and after election campaigns.

KPAI has coordinated with the General Elections Commission to contribute input to campaign regulations, aiming to ensure the protection and fulfilment of children’s rights during election periods.

Efforts are underway to develop comprehensive regulations that protect the integrity of educational spaces while accommodating the realities of political campaigns.

The delicate balance between political engagement and maintaining a conducive learning environment remains at the forefront of discussions surrounding this Constitutional Court decision.

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Education

Singapore to expand Higher Mother Tongue access in secondary schools from 2026

Singapore will allow students who excel in their Mother Tongue Language at the PSLE to take Higher Mother Tongue in secondary school starting in 2026, regardless of their overall PSLE score. The new policy is part of broader efforts to promote bilingualism and strengthen linguistic proficiency.

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4 days ago

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16 September 2024

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SINGAPORE: From 2026, students who perform well in their Mother Tongue Language (MTL) at the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) will be eligible to study Higher Mother Tongue at Secondary 1, regardless of their overall PSLE score, announced Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing on 14 September.

Under the current system, only students with an overall PSLE score of 8 or better, or those with a score between 9 and 14 who also achieve an AL1 or AL2 in MTL, or at least a merit in Higher Mother Tongue (HMTL), can qualify to take HMTL in secondary school.

However, from 2026, eligibility will be based solely on their MTL performance.

Students will be able to study HMTL if they score AL1 or AL2 in MTL or attain a distinction or merit in HMTL at the PSLE, regardless of their overall score.

Mr Chan, speaking at the 2024 Mother Tongue Languages Symposium, emphasised the importance of supporting students with linguistic strengths.

“All of us have different strengths and talents. Some students may be strong in languages but not in other subjects,” he said.

“We will support more of these students to take Higher Mother Tongue, so they can learn their MTL to as high a level as possible.”

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to promote bilingualism, which Mr Chan described as a “cornerstone of Singapore’s education system” and a key aspect of Singapore’s national identity.

He noted that bilingualism not only helps to strengthen the country’s social fabric but also enhances cognitive abilities, such as empathy and the understanding of different perspectives.

In a related development, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced the launch of the MTL SOAR programme, which will begin in 2025 for Primary 1 and 2 students.

Under this programme, 30 minutes of the Mother Tongue curriculum will be allocated to reading and library activities, with the initiative to be extended to all primary levels by 2029.

The programme aims to support diverse learners by providing supplementary reading materials tailored to different proficiency levels.

Mr Chan highlighted the programme’s adaptability, explaining that “those who are stronger in mother tongue proficiency can read more books that are richer in content and be stretched in their learning, while those who need more support will have books that are more accessible for them.”

Additionally, as part of a pilot programme, MOE will extend the daily Mother Tongue curriculum at MOE Kindergartens from one hour to 1.5 hours, beginning with the 2025 Kindergarten 1 cohort at MK@Hougang and MK@Elias Park.

The pilot will be gradually expanded to more kindergartens.

The series of initiatives follows Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s National Day Rally speech in August, where he acknowledged concerns about declining standards in Mother Tongue proficiency and announced plans to enable more students to take Higher Mother Tongue in secondary schools.

Mr Chan underscored the cognitive and cultural benefits of bilingualism, stating, “The ability to speak two languages and understand two cultures enables us to maintain a strong link to our heritage and forge connections with people around the world.”

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Education

Malaysian man earns law degree at 77, proving education has no age limit

At 77, Malaysian retiree Zulkifly Abdullah graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree from Universiti Teknologi Mara, marking his second university degree earned in retirement. His story of lifelong learning has gone viral, inspiring many to pursue education regardless of age.

Published

7 days ago

on

13 September 2024

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MALAYSIA: A 77-year-old Malaysian man, Zulkifly Abdullah, has proven that education is indeed a lifelong journey by graduating with a Bachelor of Law degree from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Selangor, Malaysia, on 4 September.

While many in their 70s may enjoy a quiet retirement, Zulkifly instead completed his second university degree in his golden years.

Zulkifly, a retired human resources officer and father of five, began his part-time law studies in 2018 and completed the program in December 2023.

His achievement has garnered significant attention online, with a video of his graduation, posted on UiTM’s official TikTok account, going viral on 9 September.

The clip, which shows Zulkifly smiling as he receives his scroll onstage to loud cheers and applause, has amassed over 950,000 views as of 13 September.

@uitm_channel

Warga emas berusia 77 tahun dari jurusan Sarjana Muda Pengajian Undang-Undang, Fakulti Undang-Undang naik pentas menerima skrol di #istiadatkonvokesyenuitm99 #Konvoksyen99 #konvo99 #usahatakwamulia #uitmdihatiku

♬ original sound – UiTM Channel – UiTM Channel

This is Zulkifly’s second degree earned during retirement. He first returned to school at the age of 60, enrolling at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) from 2007 to 2011, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in History.

His decision to study law came from personal interest, particularly due to his prior work in a ministry dealing with legal regulations.

In an interview with The New Straits Times, Zulkifly acknowledged the challenges of studying in his later years, especially in retaining information, but credited his family, lecturers, and classmates for their unwavering support.

He often discussed legal matters with his son, a lawyer, and sought clarification on various topics from him.

Reflecting on his journey, Zulkifly emphasised the importance of lifelong learning.

“Education is a lifelong journey. Law requires consistent reading and effort. If you have the opportunity, continue learning regardless of your age,” he said.

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