INDONESIAN BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM

CURRENT CONTENT AND REFORM*

Agus Dharma, PhD

Board Member from Indonesia

Background

1. The vision of Indonesian education is the realization of educational system as a

solid and authoritative social institution to empower Indonesian citizen to become
intelligent persons that are able and proactive to stand facing the ever changing
challenges of the era. They are bright (spiritually, emotionally, socially,
intellectually, and kinesthetically) and competitive citizens. The educational system
encompasses all form, type, and level of education: formal, non-formal, and in-
formal.
2. Basic education in Indonesia provides nine years learning experience in both
formal and non-formal education for 7- 15 school age children. The goal of basic
education is to develop learners’ basic intelligence, knowledge, personality, noble
character, as well as skills to live independently and to continue their education.
3. Basic education is conducted in elementary school and junior high school (both
public and religious type of schooling called madrasah = madrasah ibtidaiyah for
elementary school and madrasah tsanawiyah for junior high school). While public
elementary and junior high scholl are managed based on the policies established by
the Ministry of National Education (MONE) and operationally controlled by
otonomous local/district/town administration, the madrasahs are managed by the
Ministry of Religious Affairs through its local (district/town) offices troughout
Indonesia.
4. The nine years basic education is compulsory. At present the number of student
attending elementary and junior high school is 7.864.650 and 3.839.023
consecutively and the number of elementary school is 44.154 and junior high school
is 12.932 (public and private). Net participation rate at elementary school is about
95% and gross participation rate at junior high is 92%. This include students
attending the madrasah. The total number of teachers at elementary and junior high
scholl (public and private) is 1.531.193.
5. The successful implementation of basic education program is, among other
things, relied heavily on qualified teachers in managing their students learning
experience based on well developed curriculum.

*
Presented in Roundtable Discussion in Retrac Governing Board Meeting at Institut Aminuddin
Baki, Genting Highland, Malaysia, 27 August 2008. Agus Dharma is Director of the Personnel
Education and Training Center, Ministry of National Education, Republic of Indonesia.

Indonesian Basic Education: Current Content and Reform

6. Traditionally the MONE played a central role of curriculum development in
Indonesia. Schools (teachers) involvement played only small operational portion of
the role. The teachers were supposed to go along with all instructions neatly
prepared guidance of curriculum implementation by the MONE. The main task
specified to teachers in curriculum planning was to merely prepare lesson plan of a
subject based on implementation and technical instruction. The old curriculum is
subject (materials) and teacher oriented regardless learners potential, development
stage, needs, interest, and environment.
7. Since 2006 (in decentralization era) Indonesia has been implementing
competency base school level curriculum based on national standard of education
(content and competence standards in particular) considering the goal of a certain
level of education, learning experiences that should be provided to achieve the goal,
the methods used to manage the learning experiences, and methods of evaluation to
measure the goal achievement. The new curriculum is learners’ and competency
oriented and implemented by paying attention to learners potential, development
stage, needs, interest, and environment.
8. The new policy on curriculum, among other things, is intended to empower
teachers to develop down to earth learning activities relevant to the learners’ need,
actual condition of the school, as well as the necessity to link it to the environment.
Central Government provides guidance in developing competency base school level
curriculum. The Curriculum Center at the Office of Educational Research and
Development of the MONE helps the schools develop their own curriculum by
providing curriculum models that can be implemented at school level. Training
centers of the MONE have been conducting training sessions for school principals
and teachers in developing competency base school level curriculum.

Legal Framework of School Curriculum

1. The National Education System Act (No 20/2003) provides legal framework of
curriculum implemented in Indonesia. The Minister of National Education decrees
No 22 and 23/2006 establish the content standard and graduate competences
standard in developing curriculum. The standards are established by the Office of
National Standard of Education.
2. The Act defines curriculum as a set of plan with regard to the objectives, content,
and learning materials as well as the methods employed as guideline in conducting
learning activities in order to achieve the goal of a certain education.
3. The curriculum of primary (basic) and secondary education must include
religious education, citizenship, languages, mathematics, natural science, social
science, art and culture, physical education and sport, skills/vocational education,
and local content. The curriculum is basically developed based on diversified
principles related to educational unit, regional potential, and the learners.
4. The curriculum is developed according to the level of education in the frame of
the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia in the efforts to improve religious
faith, character; learners’ potential, intelligence, and interest; the variety of regional
potential and environment; the demand of regional and national development; the
Indonesian Basic Education: Current Content and Reform 2
 employment demand, the development of science, knowledge, technology, and art;
religion, the dynamic of global development, national unity and values.
5. Basic framework and structure of primary and secondary education curriculum
are established by the Central Government. Primary education curriculum is
developed in accordance with its relevance by individual school (or alike)/madrasah
committee (school level curriculum) coordinated and supervised by the district
office of education (local government) and district office of the Ministry of
Religious Affairs.

Basic Framework of Curriculum and Competency

1. Subject Cluster and Scope

a. Religion and noble character

This subject is intended to develop learners to become religiously devoted
individuals who posses noble character. The noble characters consist of ethics,
good conduct in life, or morality as the realization of religious education.

b. Citizenship and personality

This subject is intended to develop learners’ awareness and knowledge with regard
to their status, rights, and obligations in community, state, and nation; as well as to
improve their quality as human being. The awareness and knowledge include
nationality, spirit and patriotism in defending their nation, appreciation of human
rights, nation diversity, environment conservation, gender equality, democracy,
social responsibility, as well as the promotion of behaviors against corruption,
collusion, and nepotism.

c. Science and technology

Science and technology at elementary school is intended to introduce, react, and
appreciate science and technology, as well as to instill habits of critical, creative,
and independent scientific thinking and behavior. Science and technology at junior
high school is intended to develop basic competency in knowledge and science as
well as to enhance the learners’ habit of scientific thinking critically, creatively,
and independently.

d. Aesthetics
This subject cluster is intended to develop learners’ sensitivity as well as ability to
express and appreciate beauty and harmony. The ability to appreciate and express
beauty and harmony consists of appreciation and expression, both in individual life
that enable learners to enjoy and be grateful of life and in community that enable
them to create togetherness and harmony.

e. Physical, sport, and health

This subject cluster at elementary school is intended to develop learners’ physical
potential as well as to implant the spirit of sportsmanship and awareness of healthy

Indonesian Basic Education: Current Content and Reform 3

 life. This subject cluster at junior high school is intended to enhance the learners’
physical potential as well as to strengthen the habits of sportive and healthy life.

2. Competences standards for elementary school graduate:

a. To act on their religious teachings with regard to the stage of child
development.
b. To know one’s weaknesses and strengths.
c. To obey social rules in their environment.
d. To appreciate religion, culture, ethnics, racial, and socio-economics differences
in their environment.
e. To use information of their environment logically, critically, and creatively.
f. To demonstrate the ability to think logically, critically, and creatively with the
guidance of their teachers.
g. To demonstrate high sense of inquiry and awareness of their potentials.
h. To demonstrate ability to solve simple problems in their daily life.
i. To demonstrate ability to identify natural and social phenomena in their
environment.
j. To demonstrate affection and care about their environment.
k. To demonstrate affection and proud of their nation, state, and homeland.
l. To demonstrate ability in local art and cultural activities.
m. To demonstrate habits to live clean, healthy, fresh, and safe and to take
advantage of spare time.
n. To communicate clearly and politely.
o. To work together in group, help each other, and protect themselves in their
home and peer group.
p. To demonstrate eagerness to read and write.
q. To demonstrate skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and arithmetic.

3. Competences standards for junior high school graduate:

a. To act on their religious teachings according to their pre-adolesence stage of

development.
b. To demonstrate self-confidence.
c. To obey social rules in their broader environment.
d. To appreciate religious, cultural, ethnics, racial, and socio-economics
differences in national scope.
e. To search and implement information from their environment and other sources
logically, critically, and creativelly.
f. To demonstrate the ability to think logically, critically, cratively, and
innovatively.

Indonesian Basic Education: Current Content and Reform 4

 g. To demonstrate the ability to learn independently on a par with their own
potential.
h. To demonstrate the ability to analize and solve daily life problems.
i. To describe natural and social phenomena.
j. To responsibly take advantage of their environment.
k. To implement values of togetherness in social and national life in order to
realize the unity in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
l. To appreciate art works and national culture.
m. To appreciate job tasks and able to perform productively.
n. To live clean, healthy, fresh, and safe life and to take advantage of their spare
time.
o. To communicate and interact effectively and politely.
p. To understand own and others’ right and obligation in her/his social interaction.
q. To appreciate differences in opinion.
r. To demonstrate eagerness to read and write short and simple article.
s. To demonstrate skills in listening, reading, speaking, and writing in simple
Indonesian language and English.
t. To master the knowledge required to continue study in secondary education.

4. Curriculum Structure of Elementary and Junior High School

Curriculum structure of elementary school includes learning content learned in six

years education started from Grade I until Grade VI and three years at junior high
school started from Grade VII to Grade IX. The curriculum structure is developed
based on graduate competency standard and subjects competency standard by
considering the following guideline.

a. Elementary and junior school curriculum consists of 8 and 10 subjects

consecutively, local content, and self development. Local content is curricular
activities in order to develop competency adjusted with unique local
characteristics and potential, including local advantages where the content
cannot be clustered into the existing subjects. Local content is determined by
individual educational unit (school or alike). Self development is not a subject
that must be taught solely by teacher. Self development is intended to provide
opportunity for learners to develop and express themselves corresponding to
each learner’s need, talent, and interest. Self development activities could be
facilitated by counselor, teacher, or other educational staffs that can be
conducted in the forms of extra-curricular activities. Self development
activities, among other things, can be performed through counseling services
related to learners’ personal problems, social life, learning, and career
development.
b. The content of natural and social science at elementary and junior high school is
integrated natural and social science.

Indonesian Basic Education: Current Content and Reform 5

 c. Learning process at Grade I, II, and III is conducted through thematic approach,
while at Grade IV, V, and VI is carried out through subject approach.
d. Average learning hour for Grade I, II, and III is 27 and Grade IV, V, and VI is 32
a week, while average learning hour at junior high school is 32. Educational
unit could add maximum 4 learning hours per week. The length of one learning
hour is 35 minutes at elementary school and 40 minutes at junior high school.
f. Effective learning period in one year of schooling is 34-38 weeks for both
elementary school and junior high school divided into two semesters.

General Principles of Curriculum Development

1. Focused on learners’ potential, development, needs, and interest; and their

environment
Curriculum is developed based on the principle that learners have their own unique
potential to develop their competence to become religiously devoted, bright,
competitive, and responsible citizens. It is, therefore, the development of this
potential is done based on the learners potentials and develomental needs. The
learners are supposed to be the central attention of learning activities (learners
oriented curriculum).

2. Varied and integrated

Curriculum is developed by keeping in mind the diversity of learners characteristic,
geography condition, level and type of education, as well as appreciating differences
in religion, ethnics, culture, tradition, socio-economics status, and gender.
Curriculum must contain required subjects, local content, and integrated self
development and is developed in a meaningful and right intersubjects integration.

3. Responsive to the development of science, knowledge, technology, and art

Curriculum is developed based on awareness that science, knowledge, technology,
and art is developing dynamically. Therefore, the curriculum spirit and content are
required to provide learners with learning experience that enable them to keep up
with and utilize science, knowledge, technology, and art development.

4. Relevant to the need of life

Curriculum is developed by involving the stakeholders to ensure its relevance to the
needs of life which include social life, business, and employment. It is, therefore,
educational institutions have to include the development of personal, thinking,
social, academic, and vocational skills.

5. Comprehensive and continued

Curriculum content includes the whole dimensions of competences and subjects that
are planned and presented continously through all educational level. It means,
therefore, that the same subject may be presented at different level, but with diverse
depth and scope.

Indonesian Basic Education: Current Content and Reform 6

6. Life long learning
Curricullum is directed toward the process of learners’ development, aculturation,
and empowerment in the frame of life long learning. The curricullum reflects the
interrelation of formal, non-formal, and informal education by paying attention to
the ever changing environment condition and demand.

7. Balancing national and regional interests

Curriculum is developed by paying attention to the national and regional interest in
order to develop a well balanced life in community, nation, and state. National and
regional interests must be kept in balance on a par with the motto of the Unitary
State of the Republic of Indonesia: unity through diversity.

Principles of Curriculum Implementation

1. Curriculum implementation is based on the learners’ potential, development, and

condition to master useful competency. Learners must have quality educational services
and opportunity to freely, dynamically, and comfortably express themselves.
2. Curriculum is implemented by maintaining five learning pillars: (a) learning to be
faithful and devoted to God, (b) learning to understand and fully comprehend, (c)
learning to be able to perform effectively, (d) learning to live with and be useful for
other people, and (e) learning to identify and develop own identity through active,
creative, and contented learning process.
3. Curriculum implementation enables learners to have remedial, enriched, and/or
accelerated educational program on a par with learners’ potential, developmental stage,
and condition by paying attention to learners’ integrated personal development
containing spirituality, individuality, community, and morality.
4. Curriculum is implemented in situations where there are mutually respectful, close,
open, and warm relationship between learners and educators by keeping in mind the
principles of good modeling, motivating, and empowering.
5. Curriculum is implemented by employing multi-strategy and multi-media approach,
sufficient learning and technology sources, and by utilizing immediate environment as
learning source.
6. Curriculum is implemented by utilizing natural, socio-cultural, and regional sources for
successful educational programs containing useful subjects in optimal learning process.
7. Curriculum consisting of all components of subjects’ competency, local content, and
self development is managed in appropriate and sufficient balance, interrelation, and
continuity between grade, type, and level of education.

Closing Remark

1. The world is changing and so is educational endeavor to empower individuals to

develop their potentials to live responsible and healthy life so as to be able to
perform independently and cooperatively and help each other in harmony.

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2. Curriculum serves as the substance that gives the soul to learning process.
Curriculum should be primarily based on the consideration of promoting learners’
interest in identifying and developing their full potential.
3. Nationally established curriculum in Indonesia has experienced several changes.
The new curriculum has been implemented nationally since 2006. The so called
competency base school level curriculum is developed based on content and
competency standards. It is in line with the implementation of educational policy
regarding school base management.
4. The successful implementation of the new policy on curriculum depends on the
readiness of all parties involved in learning process at operational level, especially
the teachers.
5. Central government (Ministry of National Education) has been conducting
various programs to assist schools in developing, implementing, and evaluating
their own curriculum by taking advantage of advanced information and
communication technology.
6. It is necessary to conduct evaluation research in order to see the effectiveness of
the new curriculum related to the learners’ achievement measured through multi-
dimensional approach.

Indonesian Basic Education: Current Content and Reform 8