COE Exchange

Many Indonesian teachers in Pulomas, East Jakarta, are investigating the possibility of focusing more attention in the curriculum to issues of character education. There is a Character School on Jl. Raya Bogor, Depok, which focuses completely on character training. Teachers encourage students to identify their own interests and pursue learning about them. There is the Cikal School in Cilandak which seeks to involve parents in the schooling of their children along with community work and psychological strategies to foster character development.

Executive Director Rahma Dewi, of the Character School complains public schools fail to focus on moral development of children. “Just compare the amount of time given to moral education, and even art lessons, to math and science classes. “It’s astounding how much the government is ignoring this important facet of children’s development.” Earlier this month, the Sampoema Foundation funded a training workshop led by Thomas J. Martinek, an education professor from the Kniesiology department of the University of North Carolina.