A new blog for English teachers in Indonesia

Hi Hugh!

Welcome to Expat.com and thanks for sharing the info.
Maybe you could talk a bit more about your experiences on the forum as well.

Regards
Armand

Yes I'd like to share more in this forum. I'll try and check in more often ^_^ thanks!

If any English teachers are left in Indonesia if this stupidity goes ahead.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012 … hools.html

Govt to omit English from primary schools
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | National | Thu, October 11 2012, 3:28 PM

As part of a curriculum overhaul that will come into effect next year, English will no longer be a subject taught in elementary schools, says Deputy Education and Culture Minister Musliar Kaslim.

He said that the omission aimed to give ample time for students to master the Indonesian language first before diving into foreign languages.

“Elementary schools won’t have English lessons because [students] haven’t even learned to understand the Indonesian language yet,” Musliar said on Wednesday. “Now, even some kindergarten students take English courses. That’s haram [prohibited by Islamic law]. I pity the kids.”

He stressed that all schools had to implement the change in their curriculum. The ministry, however, is still mulling whether private schools will be allowed to teach English to their students as a secondary subject or not, according to him.

What about Mandarin, I know 5 year old children learning that too.

There is no end to this stupidity.

Indonesian minister repeats, Indonesian kids are too stupid and lazy for real schooling.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/onl … -ax/549581

Only Six Lessons for Elementary Students as English Also Gets the Ax

Ax???? I think a few extra lessons may be in order at the globe

Following news that science and social studies would be largely scrubbed from the nation’s elementary school curriculum, the government has decided to make young Indonesians’ lessons even simpler by scrapping English language courses — all subjects said to be unduly burdening children.

Blithering idiots like this will hold Indonesia back.

I have read that article also..I can't believe an idiot said such things like that!

Now I do belive that I was born intelligent but education ruined me!!

Thanks

All the more business for English courses I guess. Whether they scrap it from the national curriculum or not it still doesn't change the importance of learning English.

It is sad to see they are giving up on it; but not too surprising considering the progress national primary schools have been making in teaching English over the years (which is very little progress at all).

There was talk of replacing English with some subject called 'Attitude' or the like. My colleagues and I feel 'attitude' should be integrated into every subject anyway.

It would definitely be a loss for the poorer class whose only chance of learning English is in school; but to make English acquisition effective in poorer areas serious professional development and salary assistance needs to be given to the teachers anyway (perhaps that's why they are talking about scraping it?).

An interesting topic though. Considering the situation above do you guys think they are right to give up on English?

Personally I think if things are going to keep going as they are, with teachers teaching a language they can't speak themselves and students learning about a language instead of actually acquiring it. Perhaps it's all for the best?

Keep the conversation rolling anyway

To scrap English and science is nothing less than stupidity.
Basically, this twit is telling Indonesians, their kids are too stupid to do real school work.
I'm insulted and I'm not even Indonesian.

All this comes at a time when Indonesia is crying out for scientists (They may well be able to get seismologists from Italy) and English speakers for a wide variety of roles that are essential for Indonesia's growth.

Add to that, the best time to learn a language is young. At KG or earlier, another language is just something that is around in the world, not something that requires effort.
My daughter is a prime example.
She was very poor in Indonesian as we tend to use English at home.
A few months of using Indonesian at school and she babbles away as if she's been using the language all her life.
She tosses in some Mandarin as well and that's after just a few months of simple lessons.

This 'wisdom' is wrong to the core.
In fact, they should be introducing compulsory English lessons from KG1.

As for morals and teaching religious values, I fully support this.
It's absolutely no good producing a well educated child that has no idea how to behave reasonably.
I saw what happened in the UK as morals declined to those you would normally associate with an alley cat and I wouldn't want to see it here.
However, not at the expense of destroying the country's educational system.

I have read the article, scrapping English and science means the teachers would lose their jobs. The new problems will appear as they have to relocate the teachers to somewhere else and it absolutely will not be easy...

A number of unemployment in indonesia will start increasing, probably..

sugarush wrote:

I have read the article, scrapping English and science means the teachers would lose their jobs. The new problems will appear as they have to relocate the teachers to somewhere else and it absolutely will not be easy...

A number of unemployment in indonesia will start increasing, probably..

I'm unsure why this poster was banned but the post is correct.
What will Indonesia do with all the English and science teachers?

I suspect there will be a massive increase in demand for external English courses, maybe with schools setting up their own "ex school" courses that would be compulsory for students attending that school.

I don't suppose smaller towns and villages where English teachers are generally at a much lower level will be effected but better SMPs will have a of of trouble getting quality students.

So much more national plus - it'll be more like national minus if this stupidity comes to pass.

@Pak guru Thank you for your informative post. I've just knew this thing here.

@mas fred Thanks too for sharing your intelligent insights.

[Moderated: no free ad on the forum pls]

This post would be better in the jobs section I am sure it will be moved