National Education Day, UNAIR sociologist: Education should be deemed as a challenge

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Prof. Dr. Bagong Suyanto Drs., M.Si., Professor of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) Universitas Airlangga. (Photo: By courtesy)

UNAIR NEWS – Every year, May 2 is designated as National Education Day. The birthday of the Indonesian education pioneer Ki Hajar Dewantara is usually celebrated with a ceremony.

This time, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it was a little different. On April 30, 2020, the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) released the National Education Day 2020 theme, “Learning from Covid-19”. The government through the Ministry of Education and Culture also appealed for the ceremonial events of National Education Day to be abolished.

A professor and sociologist of Universitas Airlangga, Prof. Dr. Bagong Suyanto Drs., M.Si., defining National Education Day not only just a reminder for the importance of education pioneered by Ki Hajar Dewantara, but also its meaning in the present context.

“The meaning of National Education Day is also about the community’s right to get education, equity of education, and how education is affordable to the whole community,” he said in an interview on Friday, May 5, 2020.

Prof. Bagong revealed that during Covid-19 pandemic, education should be deemed as a challenge to develop creativity and innovation in the midst of difficult situations. He also said, learning should not be only from books. Learning is also part of building life skills, how we should not give up on the current situation.

“Covid-19 is a pandemic that occurs once a century. This is certainly a disaster as well as a very valuable lesson for us, “he said.

Prof. Bagong continued, for students, following the development of studies on Covid-19 is one of the most important things. The rapid flow of information about Covid-19, according to him, must be followed with good literacy skills, especially when people are studying, working and worshiping at home.

“We work from home, and right now information about Covid-19 is abundance. As a student, of course you have to keep abreast of the latest developments in the study of Covid-19,” he said.

Regarding the quality of Indonesian education, according to Prof. Bagong, the current quality of education is declining due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He explained that the standardization of quality of education became laxer due to education infrastructure that was not ready.

Nevertheless, Prof. Bagong advised the people not to give up because of the condition of the Covid-19 pandemic, by also defining this National Education Day as a valuable lesson.

“This is a very rare and valuable event. Young people need to build enthusiasm. Not giving up because of the plague. The community must remain optimistic and creative, “he concluded. (*)

Author: Erika Eight Novanti

Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh

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