NO…angGIE!!!’s zone of existence and narcistm

In our childhood time, June and July became the most favorite month in a year, for almost all of us. We were spent the long holiday, after a year studied. Went to our grandpa’s and grandma’s house, went abroad or out of the town, joint in a quick time course, or just stayed at home and enjoyed the holiday in your way. Beside, we have much pleasure bought the new books, uniform, a pair of shoes, bag, and any other school stuffs, to start the new education year.
But, that’s all only the sweet memories we never forget. At that time, we did not know and never think about the money that our parent spent for our school fee and other things we need for school. As time go by, we could see the reality of this life which not always as great as our childhood time.

A period of education year has ended and the new education year will start soon. Ideally, this is the chance for all people to improve their knowledge. However, das sein and das sollen not identical for all time. In fact, many people could not have the benefit of this.

Until now, a big number of Indonesian citizen are uneducated as well, even in a big city like Jakarta and Bandung, not only in the remote areas. In 2003, 6.025.940 from 26.483.225 or more than 20% in Central Java, did not finished their primary school. In Banjar, Ciamis, West Java, in the year 2004, more than 50% only finished their primary school. This is the truth that we could not deny and supposed to be our concern.
There is a lot of reason behind this problem. High cost for education becomes the main reason. Nowadays, there are free school program in some area in Indonesia. In West Jakarta, a primary school already has this program. Some school in Surabaya and any other areas in Indonesia also have this program. Unfortunately, that’s not enough to fulfill the needs of education for all Indonesian citizens. On the other hand, the free school program has its own impact. This program decrease the teacher’ income. A teacher in SMUN I, Bontang, East Borneo stated that, “We support this program. To improve the quality of education, some additional education need must fulfill by the teacher. However, the teacher does not have big income.” In this new education year, the fee to enter a private primary school in Jakarta is around ten millions! (Can you imagine how expensive the education cost when we become parents?!) The fact that a half of Indonesian citizen still below the poverty rate, caused they could not enjoy a high-quality education.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights in article 26 states that:

“Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages.”

In more detail, this rights states in article 13 paragraph (1) and (2)of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural RightsArticle 5 paragraph (1) Indonesian Act No. 20 in year 2003, concerning National Educational System, states that

“Every citizen has the same right to get the qualified education.”

More over, to improve the human resources quality in Indonesia, a high-quality education is needed. The high-quality education has more good school facilities than the lower-quality education. On the other hand, the lower-quality education is not as expensive as the high quality education. But, this kind of school does not have the facilities as good as the other one. Around 65% school building in East Jakarta are broken and lest that 43% school building in Central Java are in good condition.
This situation caused more than a half of Indonesian citizen could not get education. The fact is in 2004, more than 15,5 million Indonesian citizens can not read and write. As stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, education is a kind of human rights. Indonesia also recognize this right as stated in the Indonesian constitution in article 28C paragraph (1)

“Every person shall have the right to develop him/herself through the fulfillment of his/her basic needs, the right to get education and to benefit from science and technology, arts and culture, for the purpose of improving the quality of his/her life and for the welfare of the human race.”

Moreover, this right is also stated in article 12 of Indonesian regulation no. 39 in year 1999, concerning Human Rights.

The founding father of this state was realized that a good education is very important to escalate the value of Indonesian human resources. Therefore, the paragraph 4 of preamble of The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia states that one aim of our state is to educate the life of the people. This is shown that Indonesia has been aware of the importance of education as a kind of human rights.

However, this consciousness means nothing without any coordination and participation from all elements of this state; the government and the citizen, including us!!!

(ini salah satu tulisan gw waktu kuliah dulu, yang pernah dimuat di ALSA LC UNPAD Newsletter..tapi gw lupe edisi berapa..pokoke thn 2006, waktu Board of 2005-2006 mo lengser, trs Newsletternya terbit pas Muslok..klo ga slh siy, sktr pertengahan 2006)