The Education and Culture ministry plans to include lessons on basic life skills, such as disaster mitigation and countering radicalism, in a new curriculum.

According to kompas.com, the ministry has prepared five new modules on the dangers of drugs, countering radicalism, awareness of traffic rules and regulations, anticorruption education and disaster mitigation.

Education and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy said during a press conference on Thursday that the new modules would be incorporated into the Character Building Lessons (PPK), adding that the ministry is still open to including anything else in the modules.

“We will try to start [the new lessons] in the 2019 school year,” said Muhadjir.

Read also: How to choose a good Montessori school

In regard to the disaster mitigation lesson, Muhadjir stressed it would be incorporated throughout the curriculum, not be one special subject.

“The teaching and learning process was designed to be as flexible as possible, with adequate time,” he said, saying that teachers would be given the flexibility to arrange the schedule.

Muhadjir added that the disaster mitigation lesson needed the involvement of all parties, including schools, parents, communities and other organizations.  

To design the module, the ministry collaborated with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

“Schools and teachers also need to collaborate with the BNPB, so [the lesson] would only need several meetings,” said Muhadjir, adding that the ministry would also review which lessons needed information sharing or special training. (kes)