Citizenship Education in Indonesia: a Critique on Primary School Curriculum

Introduction

A curriculum, like the recipe for a dish, is first imagined as a possibility, then the subject
of experiment. The recipe offered publicly is a sense a report on the experiment. Similarly,
a curriculum should be grounded in practice. It is an attempt so to describe the work
observed in classrooms. That is adequately communicated to teachers and others. Finally,
within limits, a recipe can be varied according to taste. So can curriculum. (Stenhouse
1975, p.3)

This report is trying to get a closer look in the latest curriculum (School-Based
curriculum) especially on Citizenship of primary school. It is to analyze Curriculum dealt
with Citizenship based on the Minister of Education Regulation No. 22 year 2006 on
Standards of contents and No. 23 year 2006 on Outcomes’ Standards of Competences. In
general, this report consists of the following discussion:
1. Description of Citizenship education in primary school context.
2. The structure and analysis
A reason why citizenship education of primary school chosen is that due to recent
changes in curriculum itself. The curriculum shifted from the national scope to school based
curriculum. Another reason is that under a fear subject taught as citizenship education will
become indoctrinatory as it happened in few decades. Lawton (2000, pp.11) wrote several
reasons why citizenship education failed in the past:
‘Citizenship education was a classic of ‘high risk, low pay-off’. Citizenship
education was a low status subject in school but was dangerous: teachers can be
accused of bias or even indoctrination. Second, there was a shortage of good
resources and of teachers who were competent to deal with difficult and complex
issues. Next, there was a lack of a clear and what teachers could legitimately do.’

In Indonesian context, citizenship subject is a statutory subject from primary to

university level. What Lawton mentioned above happened in the previous time in
Indonesia where teachers were trained to deliver the subject in such a drilling method, and
lots of memorization. Thus, in the classroom settings, teaching citizenship education was
nearly in the same way the teacher trained. If it cannot be said that the teaching lost value
added or less content. And the concepts of being a good citizen was ‘not being critical of
the status quo and no understanding of political issues neither nor democratic issues. This
is in line with Lawton ideas of citizenship education views. He mentioned two views of

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the citizenship education: the passive citizenship view and the active participation for
future citizen, there would be two consequences: the boredom and the accusations of
subversion. In the first view, teaching related to facts about government and constitution
as well as rights and responsibilities as a good citizen. The second, teaching could
advocate to understanding of political ideas and conflicts; and developing democratic
attitudes and values including a willingness to be critical of the status quo.
Bringing Citizenship Education in Indonesian context can not be separated from
Pancasila and Citizenship subject taught for years during the New Order government (called
PMP: Moral Education of Pancasila). The subject was compulsory for all levels from primary
to university. Pancasila as the philosophy and ideology of Indonesia became the urgency
designation in curriculum in the New Order era. It aims to establish a noble moral character
and to make young people a good citizen. As it is stated by Sayidiman in his article of
Pancasila and the lost of terminology in the new curriculum:
“…the basic of national education is Pancasila and with all the consequences and
Implication in curriculum ….”

In early new order era, the Indonesian National Department of Education (DEPDIKNAS) was
extraordinary busy with text-books for PMP and Education Plan known as national
curriculum and also teacher training of Pancasila and its implementation in every province.
The compulsory text-books were used in every school published by Balai Pustaka. The
approach used in this era was suspected to be indoctrination. The subject had been a long
debate during the reformation era. The great gap was between the contents of the curriculum
and everyday life. What taught at school was far from daily practice. Some teachings such as
in university levels were more philosophical.
However, as the New Order collapsed in 1997 the education of Pancasila and
Citizenship failed to get the target since the doctrine implemented in dozen years suspected to
lead corruption and nepotism. It is written in Kompas (June 16, 2005) that the civic education
packed in PMP has a fatal result in the next generation. The crisis has been a prove of the fail
of doctrine in the New Order. Is that the responsibility of the New Order who made such
propaganda of the authoritarian ruler to enhance status quo? The answer is that people are
holding together, working hard and smart to make a better concepts or a change in the
curriculum.

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 In 1994 curriculum, Pancasila and Citizenship merged into Citizenship Education
(PPKn) taught in every education unit. Pancasila still presented in some section in Citizenship
subject. The coming era of reform in 2004 changed the curriculum mentioned as The
Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) removed the word Pancasila from curriculum and
changed into Citizenship Education (PKn). However, the detailed description of CBC was
questioned as it had not been chosen to be the national curriculum. The minister of Education
did not sign the new curriculum and waited the result of analysis from the Curriculum Centre,
Jakarta. The implementation of CBC only happened in some parts of Indonesia, mostly Java
and some parts in Sumatera.
As now Indonesia shifted from centralized (National Curriculum) to decentralized
curriculum called KTSP (school-based curriculum). The documents contain School vision and
mission, Standards of Competence and Basic Competence, and goals and objectives. The new
curriculum has started to be implemented from 2006 and tried to translate civic education on
the values of Pancasila without spending too much time allocation on drilling and memorizing
every single line written in Pancasila but more on daily values of democratic nation, unity in
diversity as a nation, democracy in life, and moral education. The packed of Citizenship
education as a subject in primary school for year 1-3 has changed into integrated subject with
social sciences since the teaching is Thematic teaching which combines two or three subject
under one theme (About thematic teaching will be discussed in the next section).
As it is mentioned before that teaching Citizenship in primary school is a compulsory
subject as stated in Regulation of National Education Minister No. 22/ 2006 on Standard of
Content in National Curriculum for Primary Schools. Citizenship subject is not assessed in
National Examination (year 6 of primary Schools), however, a child cannot continue to the
next level if he/she does not fulfill standard competence written in Standard of Content. This
is also a question how teachers assessed moral values and attitudes in Citizenship subject. So
far, teachers evaluate students’ portfolio and performance in class activities. Some of teachers
give written test such as multiple choices test and simple questions related to the students’
daily life. It will be discussed later.

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Citizenship Education in Primary School

Citizenship or civics education is construed broadly to encompass the preparation of

young people for their roles and responsibilities as citizens and, in particular, the
role of education (through schooling, teaching and learning) in that preparatory
process.(Kerr, 2003, p.201)

The goals of Citizenship Education in primary schools are stated in Standard of

Contents in regulation of Indonesian Ministry of Education No. 22 year 2006 as follows:
‘(a) Firstly, pupils learn to be critical, rational, and creative in following the issues on
Citizenship.’ To have a critical thought is not easy since in previous time it can be accused to
a kind of provocation and subversion in old regime era. For more than a decade people lived
in an ‘obey the rule will be safer’ 1condition. The point is the new curriculum is trying to put
critical capacity as a skill aim at a change in the future political culture of the country. Jensen
and Schnack in Clough 1998, p.75:
‘..being critical does not mean to be in opposition or negative but on the contrary
to have an interest in analyzing underlying structures, conditions, and
preconditions for appearance of phenomena (Jensen and Schnack 1994, p.8).’

‘(b) Secondly, participate actively in public life, be morally responsible, and act wisely in
both national and international events, and anti-corruption.’ The reform era gives
opportunity to individual action and expression as long as under Constitution and be
responsible morally.
‘(c) Thirdly, children learning improve in their characters building based on traditional
characters in Indonesian society in order to live side by side with other nations in the world’.
One consideration on this objective is that characters determine what young people are going
to tend in the future. Once, the country lost the figure of a leader who has strong characters in
values. It is a worry that modernization and global life will illuminate the characters of young
people.
The next part after the three goals is that Standards of Competence and Basic
Competence (called SK and KD in Bahasa Indonesia) covered in Citizenship Education.
Standard of Competence is interpreted as a competence which is expected to achieve by
learners in lifelong learning and in learning experiences. And Basic Competence is read as a
1
Some lost people in Indonesia during the New Order Government
See: http://www.kontras.org/

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the minimum competence achieved by learners after their learning. It is also followed by
some indicators which indicate what competences that learners have achieved in their
learning.
From those three objectives in previous page, it is obvious that the new curriculum
called school-based curriculum has challenged schools to implement what it is mentioned
above and to translate the Standards of Competence and Basic Competence (SK and KD) in
syllabus. In other words, the teachers should make a syllabus in accordance with the SK and
KD.
Here is an example of year 2 Standards of Competence and Basic Competence:

Year 2, fist semester:

Standard of Competence Basic Competences
1. to live helpfully in society and be active 1. to recognize the importance in getting
in communities. involved in society, interacting with others,
helping others, and live peacefully with
others.
2. to implement the values both at home
and school.

2. to appreciate the environment and 1. to appreciate what nature gives human

respect others. such as flora and fauna as inheritance.
2. to get involved in resources preservation.

Year 2, second semester:

Standard of Competence Basic Competences
3. to learn to be democratic 1. Decision making.
2. Voting. And respect the majority voices.
3. Accept the results of voting. And
appreciate different point of view.
4. Values in Pancasila 1. Being honest, self-disciple, and hard
worker as a good citizenship in daily life.
2. Implementing the values in daily life.
Such as tolerance, gender equity, and so on.

The basic competences that should be reached by students are then described into
some indicators. Each basic competence can consists of more than one indicator. For

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example, Implementing Values of Pancasila in daily life. The indicators would be the
students’ behavior during the class. The teacher is monitoring students’ interaction in every
class activities. However, this is not an easy work to do. The teacher could have some
problems in controlling whole class behavior especially in big class. This can be related to
classroom based assessment as students should be engaged in their groups. In fact, teachers
are still doubt of the way students are assessed in this subject. Since the assessments can be
from both teachers based on students’ daily performance and school examination, it is quite
hard for teachers to decide the best way to assess students. Later, there is a portfolio
assessment which becomes an alternative way of assessment.
What is worrying about statutory Citizenship subject in early years is that the teacher
teaches based on ‘copy-paste’ activities on syllabus? As the Curriculum is new implemented
in schools, most of schools downloaded the syllabus without changing the activities and
indicators based on the needs of their schools. Why? Students can be put into an activity
where they are not familiar with. For instance, in some schools debates are not familiar. Some
schools commonly do not introduce debates in early years. But some private schools have
introduced debates in early years since it is a part of a culture.
Another issue on Citizenship in primary school is that the term ‘a failure citizen’. For
some students who have low achievement are sometimes labeled as fail by their peers. It has
been happening long time ago but still continues although there have been some changes in
assessment. Along with these issue, QCA (2001:14-15) in Walsh mentioned that pupils might
be assessed as working beyond, to, or towards the statutory targets but always taking care
‘not’ (to) imply that pupils are failing as citizens or (to) judge the worth, personality or value
of an individual or their family. The predicate A, B, or C in students’ reports then becomes
frightening. They become reluctant to participate in the next level, discourage to be punished
by their peers. Here, it is important to pay attention on students’ reports by writing good or
satisfactory rather than ABC.
The next point is related to thematic teaching which is still new in Indonesia. The
thematic teaching is aimed at bringing a context in teaching so that learning is not separated
by subject. In one topic, teaching might covers more than two subjects with one basic
competences and indicators. The network above shows how citizenship is integrated with
other subject.

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 Bahasa Indonesia Social Science
Topic: my family
Topic: my family ( a text)
Mathematics
To understand the
Reading, writing concept
Arts of family
and culture
Topic: in the shop Topic: movement and rythme
Calculation
1. to experience
different body
Theme movement in dance
People&Environment 2. to recognise
traditional musics.
First Week
Phisical Education,
Sports, and Health
Topic: my body and
health
Citizenship
Science Topic:
Holy Places
Topic: me and my body
1. mention different
1. to recognise the religion in
indonesia
parts of the body
2. class survey on
and their religious holidays
functions
standard of competence:
to appreciate the environment
and respect others Fig. 1 example of
thematic network year 2

In the network above, subjects taught are engaged in certain topics within activities. The
topics also cover some indicators. For example, some indicators in Citizenship are to mention
different religion and to survey on religious holidays. The objectives are to respect people
from different background.

Analysis
Children of primary schools today are growing up in uncertain economic, political and
social changes. Schools are supposed to be the place where children are nurtured to be in
global citizenship in challenges and opportunities. Tanner (2005) refers to an urgent task for
schools and teachers that is to prepare students as active citizens who are developing in
knowledge and understanding of the wider world with critical skills and attitudes. Holden and

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Clough point the current challenge for teachers in educating children to participate fully as
citizens in the life of the school and wider community.
To those needs, schools provide curriculum which empowering children, encouraging
children to participate and developing their knowledge of the variety of places, local and
distant. Tanner (2005) added that informed global citizens need not only knowledge of wider
world but also a range of critical, intellectual and social skills including the ability to listen
and discuss. School based curriculum enables changes and improvements in answers to those
needs.
Changes in Citizenship education (from PMP to be PPKn) as mentioned previously
has been pro and cons in some cases. Indonesian decentralized curriculum known as KTSP is
one of efforts in re-constructing teachers and schools roles in curriculum. It is realized that
every province has different characteristics. They cannot use the same parameters from the
central as it was used to be. The centralized and too much controlled is hazardous for
Indonesia Archipelago since diversity is subject to other criticisms as it is mentioned by John
white (ed.2004) that inequality between regions, schools and learners. In this case, the new
curriculum has attempted to redirect schools in their contributions on citizenship education.
Yet, it should be noted that schools and teachers are holding the main roles in this curriculum.
Since the decisions are made at schools, it would be best to involve students’ responses
towards curriculum.
The objectives of citizenship education are stated in the Minister of Education
Regulation No. 22 year 2006 on Standards of contents. As it has been mentioned in the
previous page, the objectives are obvious. However, schools are supposed to make a general
picture of how well they are achieving their objectives within the curriculum.. This point is
important to make the evaluation towards the application of syllabus so that teachers know to
improve.
The thematic teaching was introduced in early 2006. It is viewing children as ‘holistic’
or integrated. Anna Craft (1995), in her introduction for Cross Curricular integration in the
primary curriculum, states that primary teachers consider themselves to be educating ‘the
whole person’ and their own relationship with individual children as a central aspect. To
anticipate the thematic teaching failure, teachers are expected to make detailed framework of
the theme with some indicators and activities. It is also stated in Ahier (1995, pp.139-156);

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 As the child explores the real world he relates it to his own inner mental world, he uses
his inner mental images to explore reality and he is continually building each in terms of
the other. As the young child brings his imagination and his fantasy life to bear in all his
activity, the creative, expressive and imaginative activities cannot really be separated
from learning such things as mathematics and reading. (ibid,.p.14)

The question is whether the syllabus covers the standard of competence and basic
competences. As mentioned previously that teacher introduces one theme covers two or three
subjects or a combination of standard competence. It means that teacher required to be
creative in selecting and combining activities according to two or more subjects. In order to
make the activities run well, teachers make theme network to map activities, subject to cover,
and basic competences. Children are to learn by discovery; they need to be given practical
freedom to do so, and to rove across the subject boundaries. Those concerning classroom
management (it is easier to organize the class so that several activities can take place at once
related to the same theme). (Anna Craft 1995, pp103-126).

In general the structure of the syllabus is as follows:

School : Primary School

Year :2
Subject : Citizenship
Semester :1

Standard of Competence
1.

Basic Materials Class Indicators Asessment Time Resources

Competence activities Techniques Form example allocation

1.1

Fig. 2 table of syllabus

The subject is allocated once a week for 35 minutes. It is sufficient enough concerning
another five subjects that should be covered. The school decides which day the subject taught
and also which book is used. In primary schools, most teachers teach this subject in traditional
approach. So far, the cultural tradition in Indonesia has been giving an impact in critical
thinking. The norm in society of ‘being polite’ to older people become a barrier. David Kerr

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(2004, p.216-217) proposes three main influences on teaching and learning approaches. They
are culture, content, and climate. Culture ranges from cultural tradition to the particular
culture of specific groups (such as teachers, parents, and students). Content covers the various
components of citizenship education in the formal and hidden curriculum. And the last one is
climate which includes the ethos in schools, classrooms, and impacts.
Most of class activities in the syllabus are that children mention, read, and write.
The activities lack of direct participation on cognitive domain such as problem solving,
critical thinking in discussion, and so on. For example, how do children learn tolerance? How
to be a good model for children? What activities are suitable? Johnson in Holden and Clough
(1998) argues that teachers should pay more attention to the role of emotion in learning about
tolerance, particularly between different ethnic groups. In Indonesia, classroom is a case of
sensitive when one ethnic to be the majority.
An alternative way of teaching Citizenship is proposed by Chris Spurgeon. He writes
Citizenship Education trough literature. The research is mainly for secondary school. Yet, in
Indonesian context, it is possible to use this technique since the thematic teaching can
compound reading comprehension and citizenship. The following rational for selection text
adapted from Chris Spurgeon’s:
1. The text should have demonstrated literary merit (as in Bahasa Indonesia, reading
news and articles from magazine are used in class activities as well as from books).
2. The text should relate to a citizenship issue directly or indirectly (citizenship issue
should not be imposed upon a text).
3. The text should offer possibilities for imaginative, analytical, and language work.
4. Ideally, aspects of the text should facilitate active learning which could contribute to
the development and refinement or oral skills.
One example of thematic teaching from the syllabus is one topic about events. It is
mentioned in the syllabus that Citizenship goes along with social science. However, there is
not a linkage between the basic competences for citizenship and social science. It would be
more integrated in one basic competence that is learning tolerance under the same topic of
events. One event is about inequality which becomes the social issues recently in Indonesia. It
should be included in the syllabus some activities in elation to this issue.
Here are examples of suggested activities for citizenship education:

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 1. Role playing on family roles. It can be conducted after class survey.
2. Media Images and some recycle items. A campaign on recycling and going green.
3. Issues on human rights. Gender equity. Classroom survey.
4. Investigation on cultures. Raise unity in diversity and tolerance.
5. Classroom voting for class leader. Learn democracy.
Those activities above are based on the standard of competences. Children are lead to
personal experience in classroom context. The emphasizes are on practice, not theories. And
these activities assume the ideal citizen, unaffected by cultural background, ethnicity, and
gender. Gilbert (1995, pp.11-30) cites the emphasizes on tolerance and understanding on law,
shuts out any notion of personal indignation or action at injustice or discrimination, not only
for others but also for oneself.
Since Indonesia has more than thousands ethnic groups, it would be an advantage
having such activities which enable students appreciate other ethnic group. The importance of
human rights in all early year settings is put in the activities. Young children may form
negative beliefs and attitudes which can be evident in their play. Teasing, name-calling,
bullying and excluding children from play on the basis of gender, ethnic group, disability, or
race are all common behaviours. (Liz wood 1998, pp31-45).
The activities are designed on the basis of values as it is the moral education in
Pancasila. Morality consists of ideals as to how every person should live their life; or morality
is a set of constraints on what each of us in society is allowed to do, and their point is that we
should not unduly interfere with each other…..(Haydon 2000, pp.137-147). Children are
aware of the world through magazine, TV and radio, even in their updated games. The
exposures on TV and Media’s effect on children behaviour at school. Say for example girls
want to choose a character in Sailor Moon carton because it represents feminity while boys
chooses Power Rangers. The pupils realized that literature was exerting strong influence over
children’s believe. This proved to be a long process in which the children needed to learn a
variety of skills, considering alternative perspective, and looking at the roles of men and
women in society. Thus principles of equal opportunities were embedded in curriculum.
(Wood and Attfield 1996, p.45)
The texts material in the syllabus are mostly from books. It would be more challenging
if the materials are chosen from newspapers, films, or perhaps children choice. It is not only

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what children are taught and what they learn but also their actual experiences at school which
contribute to their understanding of their rights and their responsibilities as future citizens, so,
a democratic school ethos is important and this needs to be experienced in the context of the
wider community (ICIS, 1996 in Jagdish Gundara 2000, pp 14-25). Teachers are challenged
with recent issues brought into classroom activities. the ability to take a stance, neutral in pros
and cons topic would be a bit difficult for example, the issues on free meal and books which
are a controversial issues in some schools.
The last question is on Assessment for Citizenship education. How is it supposed to be
like? Portfolio is the recent way of assessment used by primary teachers. Is there any other
form of assessment? According to Government Regulation no.20 year 2007 in Standard of
assessment in education, it is allowed that teachers make day-today performance of pupils and
use classroom observation as well. Walsh p. 15 in MA module states that the assessment
should be built into teaching and learning, provide regular opportunities for feedback to
pupils, engage pupils in discussing criteria, include self-assessment and peer assessment, and
involve a portfolio or profile of achievement. There is no such national assessment in
citizenship education in Primary school. There is previously assessed nationally called
Ebtanas. It was tested along with Mathematics, Bahasa Indonesia, Science, and Social
Science. However, nowadays the National Examination (UN) only covers Math, science, and
Bahasa Indonesia.
A part from syllabus, there is also document called Lesson Plan made by teachers.
However, some teachers download existing lesson plans in the Department website or other’s
teachers’ weblog. The problem is not on the lesson plan but more on how teachers develop the
existing materials. Based on some lesson plans provided on the site, there are number of
activities both pre and whilst activities which are lack of critical thinking and up to date issues
in society. Some of those activities are discussion and teachers’ presentation. Teachers elicit
information as well but not much as it are allocated for 5 -10 minutes. Some consideration
from Crick Report (2000) can be put into account when preparing activities are:

1. Children learning from the very beginning self-confidence and socially and morally
responsible behaviour both in and beyond the classroom, both towards those in
authority and towards each other. A quotation from Professor David Hargreaves that
‘education must help future citizens t\o distinguish between law and justice’, and that’

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 citizens must be equipped with the political skills needed to change laws in a peaceful
and responsible manner.’
2. Learning about and becoming helpfully involved in the life and concerns of their
communities, including learning through community involvement and service to the
community.
3. Pupils learning about and how to make themselves effective in public life through
knowledge, skills and values-what can be called ‘political literacy’, seeking for a term
that is wider than political knowledge alone.’

What children learn in citizenship education of primary school is the key determinant of
succeed curriculum. In the future, there would be no such experience of what Indonesian
called the death of Pancasila and Citizenship education. Perhaps, the new insights and the
consideration of contents and value in curriculum might be to bring about good changes in
Citizenship Education. There would be the development in curriculum that develops
knowledge, understanding and skills of pupils. At the End, the development may lead to a
commitment to promote a better moral and characters of future Citizenship.

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