President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono wants education officials to study up before implementing Indonesia’s new national curriculum. The national plan, which drops mandatory English, science and social sciences in favor of Bahasa Indonesia, nationalism and religion, has come under fire from education experts who warn that the move will make Indonesians less competitive in a global job market. Education Minister Mohammad Nuh argued that students are currently overburdened by the system and routinely struggle with the national language. The new curriculum limits the subjects taught in elementary schools to six courses, with English classes available as an elective. Students would instead spend 38 hours a week participating in Bahasa Indonesia, math, arts, sports, religion and nationalism classes. |
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