By Imroatus Solikhah
Indonesia is one of the archipelagic countries in the world that have many ethnic and local languages and multilingual populations. This linguistic diversity arouses interest in learning a foreign language. The challenges of teaching and learning English as a foreign language to learners of all ages — young learners up to university students — can be seen in educational policies, curriculum, ideology, and socio-cultural and religious values, and is currently being contested in the process of shaping research and practice of English education in complex, dynamic, and polycentric sociolinguistic situations (Zaen, 2020).
Indonesia’s higher education system contains two main streams, namely the national system (Kemendikbud/Ministry of Education and Culture/MoEC) and what is known as the religious system (kemenag/ Ministry of Religion/MoRA). There are consequently two sets of regulations here: most public and private tertiary institutions are regulated by the Ministry of Education and Culture (MoEC), while others are regulated by the Ministry of Religion (MoRA). The latter include higher education centers owned and operated by faith-based organizations, including state organizations, with curricula focused on theology and other religion-specific fields of study but they have public and private study programs as well (Chan, 2019). In higher education, there are five categories of institutions, such as university (Universitas), institute (Institut), Tertiary College (Sekolah Tinggi), Polytechnic (Politeknik/Poltek), and Academy (Akademi) for both public and private education. For instance, STAIN/STABN/High School of Religion, IAIN and UIN have not only majors in the field of religion but also majors in economics, language and literature, medicine, science, and so on. However, many religious institutions, such as those run by Muhammadiyah and the Catholic Church, remain part of the national system, under the Ministry of Education and Culture, and teach the state curriculum. All higher education institutions in Indonesia can confer degrees from bachelor level up to doctoral level, however, master and doctoral degrees from polytechnics are referred to as ‘applied’ degrees under MoEC regulations.
English is a compulsory subject in Indonesia, however the implementation of teaching and learning English is not standard yet. The universities have their own standards. How to design appropriate materials and how to teach and learn are still areas of conflict. Putra et al. (2022) argue that these failures reflect the dominance of predatory officials and business groups in institutional governance and the relative marginalization of those who support improved research, teaching, and community service in line with either neo-liberal or idealist conceptions of quality. Indonesia is famous for changing ministers, and the change is followed by policy and curriculum changes. The impact of that can be confusion and it creates a barrier to implementing changes in the teaching-learning process (Nevenglosky, et all, 2019).
The biggest problem of education in Indonesia is how to arrange the frequently changed curriculum and distribute the materials (Solikhah, 2022) which need to be revised. Therefore the biggest problem faced by Indonesia in English education is how to develop a curriculum, revise the materials and then distribute them. Regarding English language competence, there is a gap between urban and rural competence and preoccupation with curriculum matters. The campus decides on its own standards in English language education. In other words, the level of English competence does not only depend on the university’s vision and mission but also the competence of different lecturers and available facilities. In addition, tailoring of material for young learners to university students has not been accommodated. The new minister of education commonly introduces a new curriculum and policy is changed, however the new curriculum is not necessarily effective.
Indonesia has made significant progress in education, including large improvements in enrolment and gender parity. The government can build on education reforms and achieve better results in line with President Jokowi’s vision. Indonesia can ensure all children get a good start, and it can focus on learning for all to ensure that no children fall behind, especially those who are poor, live in remote areas, or have disabilities, by assessing and bridging learning gaps, selecting, preparing and supporting teachers, strengthening accountability mechanisms, and building a more resilient education system.
The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us to learn and change our habits. The diffusion of information and communications technology (ICT) into all aspects of our lives and its impact on altering the nature of social interactions is not a new phenomenon (Harto, 2020). Indonesia is in a unique position to exploit the advent of online learning. More than 171 million or 69 percent of Indonesians are connected to the worldwide web with an internet penetration rate that stood at 63.5 percent in 2019 according to the latest survey by the Association of Indonesian Internet Service Providers (APJII), which is higher than the average for Asian countries. The MODISH project will support the understanding of the role of technology and EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) in English education for higher education.
Rosser (2018) argues that the Indonesian Government hopes to develop a ‘world-class’ education system by 2025. However, numerous assessments of the country’s education performance suggest that it has a long way to go before it will achieve that goal. Many Indonesian teachers and lecturers lack the required subject knowledge and pedagogical skills to be effective educators; learning outcomes for students are poor; and there is a disparity between the skills of graduates and the needs of employers. So, a project like MODISH will be a fruitful experience to help educators improve teaching and learning.
References
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