THE QUALITY OF CHARACTER EDUCATION IN INDONESIA;

By,
Maslathif Dwi Purnomo
A Lecturer of English of Faculty of Tarbiyah IAIN of North Sumatra

Abstract

Introduction
Character education became a new breath for education quality improvement efforts
in this country. This is so noble effort amid declining public confidence in the education
system which is applied in this country. But behind it all, launching character education goals
through many obstacles and challenges. The challenges come both from within the education
itself and external factors that are clearly threatening to the success of character education
that want to target. So this seemed to be a bitter pill for the managers of education. Can
character education really happen in our country with the reality of a nation that is going on
right now? The answer is in our own minds

The Ideality of Character

Character is a person's subjective assessment of the personality associated with the
personality attributes that may or may not be accepted by society. Character is the absolute
answer to creating a better life in the community. In relation to education, more emphasis on
the character of a positive image of the attitudes and behavior inherent in self-learners
because education is social engineering that aims to educate, provide understanding,
comprehension, knowledge and strengthening of character and attitude of a person with
socializing with people. The expected output is the creation of a virtuous man who knows
right from wrong, have emotional intelligence, intellectual, social intelligence, and spiritual
intelligence in the spectrum of strengthening faith and devotion to God Almighty. Is expected
to internalized ideals within themselves every student to become fully human. Ideals is then
better known as the character education.
As an illustration, Si Rahman was studying in boarding school Salaf. He studied for 9
years at boarding school, he studied Religious Studies such as Fiqh, Hadith Qur'an, Aqeedah
Morals, as well as tools such as Nahwu Sciences, Shorof, Mantiq, Balaghoh. And so forth.
After he graduated from boarding school and then he taught the science of religion in the
mosque of her father who is the village. In addition to teaching, he also sells books of school
children and the general lessons on the market, this is what sustains the needs of everyday life
until he could hajj 3 times. Rahman is known by the people are very friendly, polite and
considerate. He did not hesitate to help neighbors affected by disaster without expecting any
strings attached, so he was very loved by people in her village. It's all people are looking
forward to their child such as Rahman, who has a character very, very well because it has
been studied in boarding school for 9 years.
The above illustration describes the true purpose of education should be achieved in
character. character is no longer just a concept, character is no longer just in the process of
teaching and school class, characterized not only the ideals of teachers, lecturers, foundations,
principals and students of education. but already entered to what is needed by the people in
the reality of life. Well, the question then is, whether the concept of applied education in
Indonesia has led to the formation of the character of the graduates are needed? Here's what
still needs to be proven.

The Reality of Attention to Education

In support of character education, the government through the Ministry of Education
has launched a 12-year compulsory education. This is done because the period of study at the
school seems to be one of concern, because the 9-year compulsory education deemed to be
lacking is lacking duration to produce graduates students at the school expected sabagaimana
character. Another fact is direalisasikanya education funds from the state budget by 20% to
the door to meet the educational facilities that have been rated less unnoticed, as well as
improving the quality of teachers and education staff are also not left behind join enhanced
through teacher certification program. The reality is conceptually assessed should be able to
produce a better quality of education to produce students who have perfect character.
But as the antithesis, there are still many shortcomings encountered in the provision of
education in our country, the reality of changing policy change minister, a rudimentary
system including UN fraud issues that have not been able to find the solution, the managers
of educational institutions that are aimed at profit-oriented, overlapping in a teaching job or a
mismatch is still prone to occur in schools, and there are many irregularities in
implementation of the education budget by the government and implementing education at
school level education makes the color in our country is still gray. This means that between
ideality of character education and achieved inversely to be created proportional to the reality
of what happened on the field.

The Important of Character

Why Children Need A Character Education? Basically, children will grow into a
character if it can grow in environments characterized. Berakter environment in question is
environmentally net of social values that may damage the character itself. This means that if a
child is living in the environment of the thieves, then most likely the child will be a thief,
because he stole was a culture in the society.
Therefore, the school as an educational institution should be set such that the activities
that can encourage the creation of good character for learners. Creation of good character
must be supported from all sides, meaning the attitude and behavior of all stake holders and
managers should direct education and give each other feedback. However, it is unfortunate
that often we still hear and material conflicts of interest would occur in the private
educational institutions and this would not trigger the formation of students with good
character, because more students are not only used as a commodity for the fulfillment of
desires okonomi most education managers economically.
External factors outside of the major challenges in realizing the character education in
Indonesia is the fact that the 158 heads involved corruption throughout the region from 2004
to 2011, 42 members of the House trail of corruption in the period 2008-2011, as well as
approximately 30 members of the House of Representatives 1999-2004 involved BI governor
election bribery cases, and no less horrendous to mention the various cases of corruption
occur in institutions such as the Commission, KY, the Commission, the Directorate General
of Taxation, BI, and BKPM. Yes, some of the above cases make hearts in our chest "jerked"
State officials will conduct our beloved. How could the one hand, educational institutions are
desperately promoting character education while the other side shows the state of reality that
is much hope for the future of the mean character itself.
Indeed, the character needs to be grown and shaped the character of the child is the
love of God and all His creation, Independence and Responsibility, Honesty or Amanah,
Respect and Courtesy, Philanthropy, Please Like & Rescue Mutual Aid, Confident and Smart
Workers, Leadership and Justice, Compassion and Humility, tolerance, peace and unity, and
good everything required and expected by the public. Hence today's character education is
absolutely necessary not only at school, but at home and in the social environment. Even now
this is no longer a participant character education early childhood to adolescence, but also
adults. It is absolute necessary for the survival of this nation. Life of the nation and much of
the character traits hedonistic, opportunistic, selfish and greed in the economy justifies any
means.

The Ideality of Education

There are five pillars that must be the mindset of education in Indonesia to achieve
better results in the future. First, education should be oriented to the "Discipline knowledge",
meaning that education should produce people who have discipline in accordance with what
is attractive and desirable, but it does not escape from the basics of other disciplines which
correlated with the desired discipline, in this perspective, professionalism required to have a
teacher-scholars to conform with the field being taught. If he teaches English, then he must
have good English language skills formally mapun skill and prowess, when he taught the
science of science, then he must also have formal expertise and skill of the science of science.
Secondly, education should be able to do the "Synthesizing" means after obtaining
continuous knowledge of what to expect, a well-educated should be able to map to a problem
with knowing the basic root of the problem and find appropriate solutions to resolve the
issue, in conjunction with the pillar The second, a more educated will still retain an old
concept that is still good and is always trying to look for a new concept that is much better,
(Almuhafadhotu 'Ala Al-Salih qodimi, wal akhdzu bil jadidi Al-ashlah).
Third, a well-educated should have a creative instinct called "Creative Mind" means
finding new things to be a prevalence for a man of education, and it comes down from the
encouragement of a teacher who continues to provide images to new things , so that students
have the instinct for creativity with that knowledge. Fourth, education should be based on
mutual respect, the term came to be called "Respectful Mind" means any scientific
foundation owned, education must be oriented the same that is to educate, understand, and
create understanding about the purpose of education itself. Fifth, education must be oriented
to the formation of one's character (character building). An educated should have a moral
attitude and mindset of educated as well, so it will be open and respect for others. In this
context more appropriately referred to as "Etical Mind". It must have, because the foundation
of human well-educated and have the education must have a clear character, the noble
character.
The Forgotten Empirical Reality
Based on the five pillars of education which should be above Mindset, let us associate
with the reality of the condition of education in our country today, especially with the
ongoing National Examination (UN) as a form of educational evaluation that is currently
running in junior high, high school, SMK and equal. First, if education in Indonesia should
lead on the acquisition of knowledge in a professional manner (Discipline Knowledge). Why
National Examination should be carried out and only passing reference to a student?
(Although in this context the government argued that other Mapel also the basis for
graduation, but in fact is not). Is not the materials in ujikan the UN is still too far from
representing the breadth of knowledge that dipelajarai by students? Did not realize that by
simply testing out a few (6 Mapel for high school / equivalent and 4 Mapel for junior level /
equivalent) subjects have been studied by the students, will foster disdain for another lesson
has been learned? Would you say leads to professionalism, if a student desperately need to
learn a subject he did not like and did not lead to the expected professionalism? These
questions are raging in my mind, because it seemed like it was too far from the expected
mindset is "Discipline Knowledge" as a pillar to be applied in education in Indonesia today.
Second, a well-educated hopefully will be able to map the problems and find
appropriate solutions to the problem (synthesizing Mind). In this perspective, again I ask the
question, can the student do the mapping problem by simply prioritizing some subjects in the
UN today? Field proven fact, that maketh since graduation examination as a formal standard
by the government, interest (interest) diminishing students to further explore pelaran-another
lesson that has absolutely nothing to do with the National Exam, although has been
confirmed by the government, that the educational institution ( read: school) as a stake holder
educational workers have full authority to determine graduation through the establishment of
the Education Unit Level Curriculum, but in reality it is not easy to implement, it is because
there is power to lead sucked out by the efforts of stakeholders to succeed in subjects
National exams to be faced, so consequently, the Subjects were given a room for more
attention by holding tutoring, try out, simulations and the like are just the subjects that will be
in UN-right only, while other Subjects as nothing more than a supplement without any
serious efforts to improve the curriculum and system. Therefore, again I asked if it would be
able to deliver the reality of the learner as an educated capable of mapping the problem? Is
not it ironic that we will get from this reality?
Third, if it is through the education of a student is expected to have a creative instinct
to discover and create new things even better (Creative Mind) with the teacher as the driving
force is the emergence of a creative, then my question is: Is spesialisai done today to Eyes
Lesson - Certain Subjects in UN-kan be able to encourage imagination, creativity and student
activities to discover new things? Do not worry about it later with spesialisai this time it will
encourage students to do everything to be successful from the mouth of a crocodile terkaman
(read: UN) who would not want to be faced?. Setting standards for passing the National
Exam defined, in reality it is actually a time bomb that could explode at any time, especially
for educational institutions and students.
So that in every turn of the year subject to mind is how to be able to tame the time
bomb ready to explode it. Consequently, parktis just discussed matters relating to the
National Examination and rule out other things that are even more important as character
development, personality, behavior and mindset. Could a student who actually wanted to
develop the science keolahragaannya able to realize that while the time consumed to figure
out the National Exam? And there are many other things which are evidence
termarjinalkannya other lessons simply because the national exam.
Fourth, it is very happy when the future direction of education in Indonesia is directed
to the pillars of mutual respect between teachers with students (Respectful Mind). But could
it be achieved if the government will continue to implement the national examination which
in reality makes students no longer respect teachers and teachers were oriented on kognitifitas
students only? It really can be proven by the negative implications of the National Exam, the
field findings prove that current students have grouped the teachers where teachers are to be
respected and which are not bound to respect, of course, clear that teachers should be
respected is the teachers who teach subjects in Un -it alone, with hope in times of national
examination later they will get help from the teacher's answer. While teachers who teach
other subjects already converted to advertising billboards and hear every day in very minimal
yet to be seen in follow and take the words and advice. Ah, it's ironic.
Fifth, as a foundation for an educated life, the student must have an attitude that is
based on virtuous akhak and ethics (Ethical Mind), but in practical fact, the implications of
the determination of specific subjects in ujikan in the UN, it even gave rise to social
phenomena new ethics related to a student, which is really not at all far from what was
expected. If expected that through education a student will be more enthusiasm for learning,
the proven fact that it is currently declining student interest in learning because they think
there is no study yet his chin will be assisted as well. From the standpoint of respect for the
teacher, it is already degraded, because students become disrespectful, dismissive, and act as
they pleased. Student behavior so that we are currently far from what diktakan "akhlakul
karimah". Ironic is not it?

The Imposing System

Most people often say, "you are not educated yes, really ngomongnya like that". "He
was an educated man, so polite and unpretentious". "The political elite should learn about
ethics education, so that the expression can be polite and not offend others". "He never
attended school, so he plebeian way of thinking". The phrase above as a guide for us that the
real aim of education is not only to educate the brain cognitively, but also the achievement of
one's character and behavior in everyday life. Because real people judge the success of a
person in education is precisely when an educated can easily socialize in the community and
have a commendable courtesy and behavior according to the size of the community. In other
words, character education must be the result of a contact with societal values. But the
problem now is, what character education is being promoted in Indonesia are now paying
attention to the things mentioned above? Or actually even more emphasis on governance
measure success merely cognitively?
Not easy to answer the question above, because in fact the education system in
Indonesia is impressed imposed by the holding of the National Examination as education
graduation standards. UN with various persoalanya actually ignored the wishes of the people
of Indonesia to get a better format for the evaluation standard of education. At this Exam
keanyataannya only impress an annual mere formality, because the values obtained can not
be a reference to kejenjang go higher again. Most colleges even blatantly refused because too
many UN values indicated fraud in its execution. By that standard spigot still a hold college
entrance testing lines, both tests together (SNMPTN) or tests conducted independently by
each university.
The same thing is true in secondary education. Students who graduated from high
school with high grades are not necessarily UN could easily get into SMA / MA / SMK
favorites. They must go through the standard tests conducted by each of these institutions to
get into the school. Here the value of the UN is not so necessary, even students who have
high grades UN credibility will be questioned. Well it seems in this case the UN is inversely
proportional to the assumption of the school in general. A big question, why it happened, why
the vocational high school and do not believe the national examination results achieved by
the junior high students?
 Indonesian society today are not too stupid to be able to assess the educational system
in this country is held. Therefore the education system (including the implementation of the
UN) that seemed forced hendaknyalah terminated immediately. if not then the public will
increasingly apathetic and do not trust the output of education in this country. Then where are
they taking the young generation of the nation's future if the results of their study for 12 years
is not trusted by the public?

Jengkol Halve Education

Organizing amid UN often we see both in print and electronic media and politicians
state officials review the implementation of the UN in some schools. It certainly makes a big
question mark for us, why the officials and politicians are so keen to review the
implementation of the UN. As perhatiankah form or just use the momentum of the UN as an
instrument of agitation? Even if it is a form of attention, why should the conduct of the
examination only when they are keen to look to the site? It would be better if they were
reviewing the educational facilities in most schools still have a gap between the city and the
schools are schools that are remote areas.
Looks like the UN event from year to year has been used as a venue of various
interests, not only of material interests in the form of project implementation, but also a
medium for promoting the popularity of certain elites and politicians. In this case education is
no longer used as an instrument of forming a good personality, to educate the nation's
children and the achievement of the expected characters. Distortion seems to have real
educational purpose. But strangely it does not seem aware of the relevant parties. Each
pattern using the momentum of even this seemed to have become a trend that leads to the
capture range of interests, no doubt even this UN organization has become a means of
introducing himself to the public in order to gain sympathy through an attitude of attention
(which might simply camouflage sesungguhya alone) to the UN organization.
Mix the stirred variety of interests this is the actual trigger for the UN Organizing
ambiguous. Various groups seem to not want to lose each cake, so with their efforts trying to
get what they want. Sehingg UN organization is not only problematic in the evaluation
system, but also problematic on the purpose of the above officials who only know about the
project and answer sheet printing only, was also accompanied by the interests of some
officials and politicians who make the UN even as media propaganda and agitation, and not
ironically lost to leakage and circulation questions answers can not be covered up again to the
fact that how the UN is already heavily laden with a variety of interests. Yes, like that split
apart jengkol .. although it was bitter but also want to feel it all.
It seems the government has had to evaluate the organization of the UN as an
instrument of evaluation of education in this country. The lack of equity, infrastructure,
quality of teachers, curriculum unit level of education, other subjects marginalization, lack of
public confidence in the results of the UN and not precisely the students who graduated with
honors until the indications of fraud examination seems to have enough instruments to be
negated implementation of the UN in the future. Government through Kemdikbud should
find a new formula as educational evaluation system in this country. If not, the same practice
will be repeated on the implementation of the UN in the future. Many lamented that billions
of state money was lost just because of sheer sake of false prestige.

Closing
For the Indonesian nation today, character education means making earnest efforts,
systematically and continuously to awaken and strengthen the awareness and confidence all
the Indonesian people that there will be no better future without the build and strengthen the
character of the people of Indonesia. In other words, there is no better future could be realized
without honesty, without increasing self-discipline, without persistence, without the spirit of
high learning, without developing a sense of responsibility, without fostering unity amidst
diversity, without the spirit of contributing to the progress together, and without a sense of
confidence and optimism. This is our challenge as well as an alternative solution to the
Indonesian people, hopefully we can do it.
 Makalah disampaikan pada Seminar Pendidikan Internasional, HMJ Matematika
Fakultas Tarbiyah IAIN Sumatra Utara, tanggal 30 November 2012
 Penulis adalah Pemerhati Pendidikan, Dosen Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Fakultas
Tarbiyah IAIN Sumatra Utara