Abstract/Notes: This chapter will look at the purpose of education in the context of Indonesia’s past and present. I will draw on the philosophy of Ki Hajar Dewantara (1889–1959), who is regarded as the father of Indonesian education. In conceptualising education, he was influenced by his upbringing, local culture, and international influences from various educators and philosophers such as Rabindranath Tagore, Maria Montessori, and Friedrich Fröbel. This chapter is particularly timely because the Indonesian government has started to critically re-examine two of the educational concepts proposed by Dewantara, which are “pendidikan karakter” (character education) and “merdeka belajar” (independent learning). The chapter will start with a discussion on the purpose of education before introducing Dewantara and his background. I will then offer two comparisons; First, between Dewantara’s purpose of education and the aims of Dutch schools during the colonial period in Indonesia, highlighting the importance of imparting local wisdom and values in Dewantara’s school which were ignored by the colonial schools. Second, between Dewantara’s purpose of education and the current government’s policies. By doing so, I will highlight the different purposes articulated for education in various contexts, from the colonial era to present-day Indonesia. The conclusion of this chapter is that there have been profound changes to the very purpose of education in Indonesia. Nevertheless, Dewantara’s philosophy is still very much relevant today and thus, the Indonesian government should revisit its conceptualisation of the foundations of education. Dewantara’s thought is also likely to see increased interest in other countries due to a growing global demand for awareness of non-Western educational philosophies.

Language: English

Published: Singapore, Singapore: Springer Nature, 2023

Edition: 1st ed.

ISBN: 978-981-9901-39-5

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Language: English

ISSN: 0040-7887

Abstract/Notes: Early childhood education also known as preschool or pre-primary education is provided in settings such as Nursery schools, Kindergarten, Anganwadis, Montessori schools, etc.  Some are located in the private sector while the Government sponsors some. Pre-primary education is critical for establishing a child's social, emotional, and overall well-being. Typically designed for 3 to 5-year-old children there are varying standards. It is on this foundation that the child's future learning and adaptability are built that it deserves serious attention. The importance of pre-primary education is recognized worldwide nevertheless universal coverage has not been achieved. According to the UNICEF Global Report on Early Childhood Education, which has come recently, world over there were at least 175 million children aged 3 to 6 years old who were not enrolled in school. The early years of a child's life build the basis for lifelong growth, and children who fall behind in these early years often never catch up with their peers, leaving them more likely to drop out of school and fail to reach their full potential. This points to the significance of probing into its causes and reflecting on solutions to overcome them. Going into the causes we find certain factors perpetuating this. Such are Economic backwardness, social backwardness, Institutional backwardness, and Administrative Deficiencies. The former two are pitfalls of a weak institutional system while the latter two reflect an institutional breakdown. Yet there are interlinkages between the two. Economic backwardness arises from the great divide between the rich and the poor and consequent power dynamics leading to increased marginalization of the poor. They lose the capability to encash opportunities for fair standards of living, education, adequate nutrition, appropriate housing, and healthy surroundings. Linked to it is the social backwardness where the morbidity becomes concentrated in the poor. Inadequacy of infrastructure and paucity of teaching-learning methods carefully tailor-made to needs, skilled manpower, motivators, and losing focus are major institutional factors. The state vested with the responsibility to intervene in high-priority areas lagging in progress or developmental needs through special programs and projects time to time suffer pitfalls pointing to administrative deficiencies as systemic factors. This paper attempts to bring out the issues and concerns of pre-primary education from an institutional perspective.

Language: English

DOI: 10.31305/rrijm.2024.v09.n01.004

ISSN: 2455-3085

Language: English

Language: English

ISSN: 2281-8375

Language: English

Published: New York: A. A. Knopf, 1930

Abstract/Notes: Learning disabilities is presented as a construct supported by psychoeducational, socioemotional, and physiological data, as illustrated by the Meeker paradigm. Specific learning abilities as conceived in the Structure of Intellect (S.O.I.) model and identified in the Stanford-Binet and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised are discussed in relation to the psychoeducation area of the Meeker paradigm. The absence of specific S.O.I. learning abilities is proposed in the definition of learning disabilities, and suggestions for remediation are delineated.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1177/002221948001300908

ISSN: 0022-2194, 1538-4780

Abstract/Notes: Is school really deaad? It seems not. So does our present system offer all there is to know about enabling children to learn of themselves, their worlds, their possibilities? 'Free Way to Learning' is put together by a number of people who think not. IN different ways they have created learning stiuations which break down established ideas about teacher authority, about compulsory learning, about how the process of education can change society. Separately the have: established an urban free school, developed a small rural community, operated a family learning network, offered an inner-city supplementary programme, and participated in the rise of a street school. Together they testify to the challenges, problems and, above all, the excitement encountered by those who attempt to do it a new way - a free way.

Language: English

Published: Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Books Ltd., 1974

Language: English