TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) recommended practical steps in a bid to realize the freedom of education as voiced by Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim during his speech to commemorate the 2019 National Teacher’s Day.

“Creating freedom of education is not enough through a speech. Minister Nadiem must take practical steps,” said the KPAI commissioner in education division Retno Listyarti in a written statement, Monday, November 25.

She explained that enhancing the capacity of teachers through a variety of training is necessary to achieve the goal.

“A survey result showed that for the past 25 years, there was no change in the teaching method during the learning activity in classrooms,” said Retno.

According to her, the training should not only be about teaching methods but also other topics, such as the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child and efforts to create child-friendly schools.

“A good quality teacher leads to a good quality of students. So the changes in the education sector must be started from the teacher,” Retno remarked, adding that schools also needed teachers who did not bound to curriculum and obligation on teaching administrative.

Retno also demanded broader access for children from poor families to join junior and senior or vocational schools considering the average length of Indonesian children having formal education was around 8.5 years, shorter than nine years required to pass junior high degree.

ANTARA