islamic schools

In Indonesia , most Islamic schools still pay little attention to secular subjects, believing that religious studies are enough. They feel that conventional education is best for children.Usually in rural areas and under the direction of a muslim scholar, pesantren are attended by young people seeking a detailed understanding of the Quran, the Arabic language, the sharia, and muslim traditions and history.

Some of us feel that we have to adjust with advances in technology and what ‘s going on in the world. A progressive model of Islamic education should be implemented to adapt the modern world. It’s also the challenge the muslim world is facing.

Some of Islamic schools or Islamic Boarding schools used the balance between the secular and religious at their curriculum. The shortage of staffing in Indonesia’s schools had serious difficulties remained, particularly in the areas of teacher salaries, teacher certification, and finding qualified personnel. Providing textbooks and other school equipment to be a significant problem as well.

President SBY three months ago announced the distribution of Rp 1.7 billion for the reconstruction of six Islamic boarding Schools in Indonesia.
Maftuh Basyuni as a Religious Affairs Minister said the ministry planned to reconstruct about 26.000 classroom of Islamic schools and provide scholarships for up to 1.5 million poor Islamic school students. He said the aid was possible because the Religious Affairs Ministry’s budget had been increased to Rp. 23 trillion this year from Rp. 14 trillion last year.

US State Department’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affair provided the program Partnership for Schools Leading Change that has brought educator from private Islamic boarding schools in various regions of Indonesia to visit schools in diverse communities around the U.S.

Here some of the Islamic schools around of Jakarta :
1. Jakarta Islamic School (Kali Malang) Website :
http://www.jisc-jkt.sch.id/
2. Nurul Fikri Boarding School(Depok) Website :
http://nfbs.net.ms/
3. Pesantren Darunnajah (Ulujami Jakarta Selatan) Website :
http://www.darunnajah.com/
4. Al Binaa Islamic Boarding School(Bekasi) Website :
http://www.albinaa.or.id/web/index.php
5. Madina Islamic School
http://www.endonesia.com
TK,SD,SMP,SMA (Primary,Elementary,Secondary-High School)
6. Junior-Senior High School INTERNAT AL-KAUTSAR website :
http://www.alkausar.org

NATIONAL EXAM

This is a blog about educational issues especially on Indonesia. There are articles, reflections, and stories. You can contribute to this blog.

At the period of 1965-1971 the Ujian Negara (State Exam) was done for almost elementary, middle school and high school. Schools were given the authority to design and hold the final exam based on the guidelines from the central government. In 1980 Indonesia went back to the cantralized exam system. The Evaluasi Belajar Tahap Akhir Nasional (National Final Learning Evaluation), commonly shortened as Ebtanas.

In 1998 the new form of nation-wide standardized exam was called Ujian Akhir Nasional (National Final Examination), shortened as UAN.
In 2005 the similar form of test was given a new name as Ujian Nasional (National Examination), shortened as UN. UN has three subjects; math, Indonesian language, and English to students at the end of their senior year in middle school and high school, with minimum threshold 4.51 .

In 2007 the national exit examination is to evaluate the graduate's competence achievement nationwide for certain subjects in the group of science and technology. The result of the exam will be used as one of the consideration to map education and education program, filter (students) for further education, decide student graduation, and supervise and assist education units for quality improvement (Badan Standar nasional Pendidikan)

The national exam will do a lot of more damage to the secondary education life in indonesia. The only parties that benefit from it are the goverment's top policymakers who have sense of accomplishment who will get the financial benefit from the stress suffered by students.
The top policymakers (government)seem to believe that the improved test scores directly correlate with the better quality of education, thus will improve Indonesian ranking in International assesment (Research by Iwan Syahril).

Today, the national exams have been begining for the students at the end of their senior year in middle school with four subjcets; math, Indonesian language, english, and science. Students at the end of their senior year in high school finished their national exams a few days ago, with six subjects.

Perhaps, after the coming President election on July 2009, with the new top policymakers, there will be a better direction of the education policy in Indonesia, particularly the national exit examination.