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Nadiem’s bold vision for education reform lacks detail
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Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim (Instagram/@Kemendikbud.RI)
E
ducation and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim has repeatedly hinted at possible teaching reform through intensified cooperation with youth and civil society organizations. However, he has stopped short of offering any concrete programs.
The former CEO of Gojek recently received praise for his speech marking National Teachers' Day, in which he laid out several issues that hinder Indonesian teachers from reaching their full potential – ranging from bureaucracy to a rigid curriculum.
Over a week after the speech text was released to an outpouring of hope and support from the public, Nadiem admitted in front of hundreds of teachers, as well as representatives of communities and organizations, that he had yet to come up with a solution to these problems.
"Truthfully, I was afraid when I wrote that speech. Imagine that I had to express such a personal opinion, but as the education minister, without assurance that I could fix the iniquity,” he said during a discussion at the ministry in Jakarta on Saturday.
“I had to put myself out there and say that these were wrong and unjust, but I had yet to learn how to fix them, although I had faith that it was our responsibility together."
Nadiem said in the speech that changes could not be made from the top, but should rather start and end with teachers.
The 35-year-old minister encouraged teachers to start small initiatives, such as engaging their students in discussion rather than telling them to listen; giving students a chance to try teaching in class; creating a social program; helping students with no confidence to find their talent and offering help to other teachers in need.
