The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology stated that the use of technology in the Merdeka Belajar (freedom to learn) curriculum aimed to target more teachers and students.

“There is criticism questioning the dependence of technology on the curriculum since access to technology is still uneven. However, with technology, we can reach more teachers, students, and educational units,” the ministry’s head of education standards, curriculum, and assessment agency, Anindito Aditomo, stated at the Innovation Gathering in Jakarta, Tuesday.

Aditomo emphasized that the main point of the curriculum was not the necessity to use technology but to utilize technology as a gift, especially amid Indonesia’s diversity.

“The equality of technology is also becoming our common homework, ranging from the central government, regional government, and the community to close the gap in infrastructure,” he noted.

Moreover, the freedom to.learn curriculum is an effort to help all Indonesian children to have the same opportunity to gain learning experiences regardless of their location, parental background, parental education level, and their school.

Learning from the philosophy of Ki Hajar Dewantara, the government believes the purpose of education is to liberate humans and to make them stand on their own strength.

Aditomo said that one of the most important aspects to build human independence was through lifelong learning skills comprising reading literacy, mathematical literacy, and the essential characters that live in a modern, democratic, and pluralistic society like Indonesia.

To this end, the ministry prioritizes basic skills in the Merdeka Belajar curriculum by applying the National Assessment to determine the level of reading literacy, mathematical literacy, and basic characteristics.

“To determine whether a student will graduate, the orientation is basic skills, not content mastery,” he added.

He stated that National Assessment was also accompanied by improving the quality of the learning environment and creating schools that are safe from bullying, violence, sexual violence, and intolerance, as well as be inclusive.

“The result of the National Assessment can be seen in the education report card. We use it as feedback as well as a mirror for us to monitor our progress in achieving these goals,” he remarked.

Source: Antara News