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Jakarta Post

Your letters: Reading and character building

Seeking common ground: Non-Banking Finance Industry (IKNB) monitoring executive head of the Financial Service Authority (OJK), Firdaus Djaelani (center), Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) president director Fahmi Idris (left) and Sharia Council deputy chairman ofthe Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Jaih Mubarok speak to the press after their meeting in Jakarta on Aug

The Jakarta Post
Thu, August 6, 2015

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Your letters: Reading and character building Seeking common ground: Non-Banking Finance Industry (IKNB) monitoring executive head of the Financial Service Authority (OJK), Firdaus Djaelani (center), Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) president director Fahmi Idris (left) and Sharia Council deputy chairman ofthe Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Jaih Mubarok speak to the press after their meeting in Jakarta on Aug. 4. They talked about the MUI fatwa on BPJS Kesehatan.(Antara/Rosa Panggabean) (IKNB) monitoring executive head of the Financial Service Authority (OJK), Firdaus Djaelani (center), Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) president director Fahmi Idris (left) and Sharia Council deputy chairman ofthe Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Jaih Mubarok speak to the press after their meeting in Jakarta on Aug. 4. They talked about the MUI fatwa on BPJS Kesehatan.(Antara/Rosa Panggabean)

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span class="inline inline-center">Seeking common ground: Non-Banking Finance Industry (IKNB) monitoring executive head of the Financial Service Authority (OJK), Firdaus Djaelani (center), Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) president director Fahmi Idris (left) and Sharia Council deputy chairman ofthe Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Jaih Mubarok speak to the press after their meeting in Jakarta on Aug. 4. They talked about the MUI fatwa on BPJS Kesehatan.(Antara/Rosa Panggabean)

These two letters refer to an article titled '€œCharacter building through free reading the right step to take'€ (The Jakarta Post, Aug. 2, p4) By Setiono Sugiharto.

It'€™s great. I have wanted such a policy to be implemented in Indonesia since I first read about the Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) program conducted in America in an effort to realize the policy of '€œno child left behind.'€

In addition to the benefits exposed above, sustained silent reading, or what in Indonesia is referred to free reading and free voluntary reading, and in other cultures is named DEAR (Drop Everything and Read), DIRT (Daily Independent Reading Time), USSR  (Uninterrupted  Sustained  Silent  Reading), FUR  (Free  Uninterrupted  Reading), can create enjoyment and fun in reading. A result of this is the encouragement to become lifelong learners. Moreover, a number of studies, such as Gradman and Hanania, 1991, Constantino, Lee, Cho, and Krashen, 1997, cited in Kreshen 2004, have proven a connection between SSR and positive achievements in the TOEFL test.

Nevertheless, all of the objectives above can be achieved only if teachers follow the principles of SSR, such as free choice of reading materials, teachers'€™ models, no book reports at the end of reading period and silent reading, to name just a few.

Above all, the adequate supply of up-to-date reading materials should be guaranteed in the first place prior to the implementation of the SSR program. The government should provide the materials not only for schools in urban areas, but also for rural schools. In this way, the benefits of the program will be evenly distributed and felt by all of Indonesia'€™s future generations.

A great nation is one that is never pessimistic and believes in being able to move forward toward a better condition. There is no good reason to always feel inferior. Indonesia is eligible for a demographic bonus.

We have the human capital and we can develop it if we put our shoulder to the wheel to bring about significant changes to this country. Let'€™s keep our heads up.

Rizkia
Jakarta


If schools would correctly use their school operation assistance fund (Dana BOS) and the local education agency offices did not take a cut of the funds or the '€œmandate'€ that a percentage of the funds be used to purchase '€œreading'€ books, then maybe schools would have more resources.

Teachers and Principals likewise could be more original and creative in setting up reading corners and class libraries in the classrooms.

Book donations, book swaps, the list goes on. Sadly, it takes a Ministerial regulation to get anything done in education in this country, but even with regulations, this 15-minute free reading will be nothing more than 15 more minutes for the students to run wild and get up to mischief.

The implementation of regulations is easy, but getting the principals and teachers to do their jobs is a completely different story.

Will Ore
Lampung

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