SuaraJakarta.co, JAKARTA – Education nowadays is still improving. It can be seen from the curriculum that it always changes. Structure & infrastructure of the schools also still need improvement. A mount of teachers as not many as a mount of students. Moreover, the spread of qualified teachers in each region is unequal. Therefore, the government has so many tasks of education especially in facing the 21st century. The Ministry of education should see the facts that the situation of education in Indonesia still needs improvement. According to the expert staff of ministry education, Prof. Dr. Kacung Marijan, Indonesia has complex educational problems despite the improvement in all aspects of education including the qualified teachers, students, patent curriculum, material, facilities, and the like. The qualified teacher is the most important aspect to be ready to face 21st century in education field.
21st century challenges can be faced by improving the quality of the teacher. 21st century education demands teachers to have strong characters, skills and forceful. Teacher is the figure scorer of civilization. His role is vital, not merely to teach but also to educate. However, Indonesia is still not yet ready to face the 21st century of education challenges. The cause factors are the lack of government’s attention of the teacher. It can be seen from the lack of teacher training, the lack of teacher’s passion, the lack of teacher’s moral value and the lack of qualified teachers. Teachers also have to have the sense of belonging in order to avoid money oriented. In addition, Geographical conditions, circumstances of students, and school communities also are factors of resistor in facing 21st century challenge. Education teachers occupy the highest position in the delivery of information and character development considering that they interact directly with students in the learning situation. This is where the quality of education is formed where the quality of learning undertaken by teachers is determined by the quality of the teacher concerned.
There are things that the government can concern and help in order to get qualified teachers. The government should do mentoring the teachers and giving more appreciation to the creative teachers. Mentoring is done with the aim to improve the professionalism, creativity, and competence of teachers. Mentoring is a model in the form of seminars, workshops, consulting, training and practice. Mentoring is for sustainable and gradually, supported by the government and relevant parties. Training consist of teacher’s skills, namely the way the teacher teaches, the method of teaching, mastering the material in teaching, motivating students either academically about the subject. It is not only that, motivating students also in non-academically, such as giving moral value in teaching and the teachers that have IT (information & technology) skills.
UNESCO through “The International Commission on Education for the Twenty first Century” led by Jacques Delors recommends continuing education (life-long) were carried out based on the four pillars of learning: learning to know (learning to master knowledge), learning to do (learning to master the skills), learning to be (Learning to develop themselves), learning to live together (learning to live. society). If the teachers shall get mentoring, there is the potential to make change to the school methods. The methods of teaching is more interesting and based on the student’s like, like making analysis, making essay, and problem solving.
When education already has the qualified teachers, it means that the country is already ready to face the challenge of 21st century. So, Indonesia will have the qualified human resources. When Indonesia has the qualified of human resources, so there will be domino effect. When people contribute a lot because of their education, it will give positive effect on economy leading to the decrease of destitution. Education has a carrying capacity of a representative of economic growth. Tyler revealed that education can increase one’s productivity, which then leads to greater income. This increase income also affects the national income of the country concerned, which will assure to increase the income and living standards of low-income communities. Meanwhile Jones saw education as a means to prepare a well-educated and trained workforce that is needed in a country’s economic growth. Jones saw that education has the ability to prepare students to be potential workforce members. Besides that, education will be better prepared to practice in a job that will stimulate the level of labor productivity, which is directly leading to greater national income.
When people can face the challenges of 21st century based on the qualified of teachers, likely Indonesia can defend and compete with other countries, especially in education. That is why teacher is the key to become a successful country in the 21st century. All teachers together with the students have to keep up the spirit and optimism. The teachers also do not be lazy to improve, have to open insights, get information and knowledge everywhere and also give the best for students. Hopefully, the hard work of teachers can be dedicated for the better nation, even though it may need times.
Author: Ilma Salamah, Mahasiswa Universitas Siswa Bangsa International (USBI)