Democracy workshop for students, teachers

MEDAN, North Sumatra: A survey has found that students and teachers in the province lack skills and understanding on the concept of local democracy.

Consequently, they are not familiar with democratic and political rights including the principles of participation in schools, and regional and national development, the survey said.

The survey result was disclosed by the KKSP Foundation and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in an international workshop on Democracy Education at the Municipal Level in Medan on Tuesday.

Three representatives from neighboring countries — Thailand, the Philippines and East Timor — as well as academics, state officials and school committees, attended the workshop at Hotel Tiara Medan.

KKSP Foundation executive director Muhammad Jailani said the survey was aimed at enhancing teachers and students’ role in democracy.

He added that based on the survey, his foundation had issued a recommendation to the government to immediately include a democracy in the school curriculum.

“The democracy curriculum is necessary to generate awareness on democracy for the students and teachers so they can better understand the dynamics of democratic life in the country,” Jailani said at the conclusion of the workshop.

Ahmad Taufan Damanik, the Indonesian representative of the Rights Advancement and Protection Commission for Women and ASEAN Children, said youth and children’s participation in local democracy was facilitated by the United Nations convention. — JP