Kiki Safitri, Robertus Belarminus, Jakarta – Deputy Social Affairs Minister (Wamensos) Agus Jabo Priyono has stressed that the involvement of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in the People's School principals retreat is not a form of militarisation of education.
"This is not the militarisation of education, I clarify", Priyono said during the closing of the first phase of the People's School principals retreat at the Arhanud Battalion in Pesanggrahan, South Jakarta, on Friday June 20.
Priyono asserted that the training at the retreat focused on the formation of character and discipline, not on the instilling of a military doctrine. The involvement of the TNI, he continued, is because the institution has the capacity to form discipline systematically.
"This is character education, discipline education. Indeed, those who have unity, who have discipline, are incidentally the military, so we have collaborated", he said. "But, there is no militarism of education here", he said.
Furthermore, he said that the People's School principals will have an important role in instilling character values to students, in addition to providing knowledge.
"A nationalist character, a religious character, a social character including skills", he said. "So, we will collaborate with any party in order prepare prospective principals and teachers", he said.
Regarding whether a similar approach will also be applied to students at the People's School, Priyono said this is still waiting for the preparation of the curriculum as a whole.
"For students it will depend on the curriculum. But, the lattice is science, character, and skills. So, don't say this is education that is militarist", concluded Priyono.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Keterlibatan TNI di Retreat Kepala Sekolah Rakyat Diklaim Bukan Bentuk Militerisasi".]
