Appreciating Indonesian Literature in Schools

Maman S. Mahayana
University of Indonesia

Abstract

The Education Unit Level Curriculum (EULC) gives an opportunity to teachers and
schools to develop their own potentials. However, it should be guaranteed that try-out
and evaluation are part and parcel of this opportunity, especially since it is widely known
that the curriculum has undergone changes ever so often.

The local content as a manifestation of local potentials could be used as a rich source of
teaching materials by teachers and schools in developing their EULC, especially in the
teaching of Indonesian language and literature. In addition, composition skills become
crucial in order to balance the practice of language learning that is based on the mastery
of linguistic knowledge in elementary, secondary and high schools. Students should be
encouraged to appreciate literary works rather than to understand concepts around the
works. Through literary appreciation, students can develop mutual respect for each other
regarding their individual opinions about literary works.

Through the EULC, both students’ and teachers’ freedom and creativity can be developed
since the EULC is not a holy book, but rather, a mere guideline that should be further
interpreted by teachers.

Keywords: appreciating literature, local content, competence standard, composition

writing.

Are the objectives of teaching Indonesian literature at school in order that the
students (a) enjoy and take advantages of the literary works to widen their horizon,
improve their behaviour, and increase their knowlefge and language fluency, and (b)
appreciate and be proud of Indonesian literary works as Indonesian cultural possessions
and intectuality,1 or obtain the knowledge (a) of literary works with various related
theories and (b) of writers’ names, titles, and generations?
If we refer to the objectives of the Education Unit Level Curriculum (EULC)2,
initially implemented in the academic year of 2006-2007 on the basis of the Regulation
of the Ministry of National Education No. 22 and 23/2006 regarding the Content
Standard for Junior and Senior High Schools and Graduation Competence Standard for
such schools, EULC actually gives wider opportunities for the teachers and schools to
develop and improve the competence.3 The educational scope (i.e. life skills) in Indonesia
is, however, unpredictable. The joke saying that changing material means changing
curriculum, which is actually a fact, will not take place anymore. Changing a curriculum
to improve the existing Indonesian educational systems which urgently need to be

1
improved has actually a wide impact. This also influences the teachers whose jobs are not
only merely delivering knowledge in class but also professional matters. 4 They are in a
very difficult situation because they have not finished completing really demanding tasks
and at the same time new others are already listed on their organizers to be completed
soon. Such a condition leads the teachers to be in a great confusion, which will then
affect their students. Another thing related to the curriculum change is that this fact is
closely connected to some other aspects: finance, the attitude and culture (paradigm) of
the teachers suffering from a great shock when they face this reality. The sources of the
problem are usually linked to the curriculum.
There are some reasons in connection with curriculum change for the sake of
development and efforts to the improvement of national education quality. For that
reason, we can appreciate the demigods who create national curricula. It would be a wise
way if great understanding of recent EULC were our priority. If there are some problems
of the curriculum which can create further difficult situations for teachers and students,
we could refuse it. However, if it provides great opportunities for teacher development
and qualification, the new curriculum can be tried out for a certain number of years and
there must a guarantee that this will be evaluated some time.

***
If we have a look at each content of Competence Standard and Basic Competence
of EULC, all in the curriculum look acceptable as the two previous curricula: the 1994
Curriculum and Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC, 2004).5 All have great ideas with
promising thoughts and dreams for teachers and students. These dreams in the curricula
are designed by those who are in the top official ranks in the government syatem and
assigned to create such a system of in-depth teaching material elements to be
implemented in all educational levels but these people have never experienced teaching
the materials. In the curriculla, there is also a list of book titles which are difficult to be
found in the market or not available at school or books which are only the ones that
certain publishers have published and distributed through Educational Offices.
These – as far as I know as a result of having links with the teachers all over
Indonesia – are what teachers have been complaining about. They agree that a curriculum
appears to be something that gods have decided and the teachers must implemet it in their
school without any alternative. They feel intimidated to do so and have no opportunities
to develop their own potentials and the local contents are not accomodated. Then, the
peak of the stress occurs when the National Exam (usually called UN) takes place.6
EULC seems to give all to the teachers and schools. There are some interesting
factors that EULC offers: teachers and schools without the interference of the Heads of
Educational Service Offices. They are given an opportunity to design syllabi, curriculum
and their own indicators and not obliged to use certain books and a certain curriculum. In
this case, the principle of flexibility leads the teachers and schools to add the number of
teaching hours in accordance with their needs and local contents relevant to the contexts
and situations. In the literary subjects, there are so many local contents, for example
folks, stories, and short stories in the local newspapers published every Sunday and this
fact leads us to the conclusion that there is no reason for teachers to complain about
teaching materials, because EULC gives a very wide opportunity for teachers and schools
to develop their creativities in accordance with their school needs and local demands.

2
 The absence of the interference from the Head of the Educational Service Office
regarding the curriculum to teachers and schools results in two contradictory aspects. On
one hand, the teachers and schools have their own authorities to do personal development
and use any teaching materials which are relevant with their needs. On the other hand,
this freedom demands the teachers to manage and take care of themselves, including the
school management and routine academic activities.7 This fact leads to the condition that
each school develops their own teaching materials and proves that EULC accommodates
local potentials regarding the typical socio-cultural considerations related to their local
students.
The only problem that potentially emerges is the one connected to the National
Examination administration which actually shows that the teaching has been so far
oriented to the succees of that exam. The success of teaching activities is usually
associated with the students’ success on such exams8 and this success is considered the
one and only measurement to determine the success of the teachers and schools.9 In
addition, the test content of the National Examination is used as the only standard and a
general coverage (national) and this indirectly rejects the local contents with the
assumptions that all schools in Indonesia are thought to be closely equal. The
examination is a cheap mass test with multiple choice models (A, B, C, D or E) which are
not actually effective because this model does not really measure the test takers’
competence. They just choose the best answers although they are not sure about the
correct answers. If their answer happens to be the correct one, the score will be right.
The examination mentioned above can create different matters to different
subjects. For the science, math and social subjects with the test models of true-or-false
choices, the test models can be applied with relative realibility; for the subjects which
need skill practice and appreciation, for example Indonesian language and literary
teaching materials, such test models can, however, create problems.
Therefore, if the examination will be consistently administered, the questions
regarding language skills and literary appreciation must be excluded due to the fact that it
just measures the standard of the national education, but does not determine whether the
students pass or fail.

***
How is EULC implemented in relation with Indonesian language and literature?10
Paying attentions to the contents of Competence Standard and Basic Competence of
Indonesian language for Senior High School (commonly called SMA) and Islamic Senior
High School (MA) at EULC, like those in the two previous curricula (1994 curriculum
and Competence Based Curriculum) —EULC contents sound full of promising ideas,
idealism and hopes.11 These matters related to teaching Indonesian language and
literature are also reflected.12 If the objectives of Indonesian language teaching are well
achieved, the complaints about learners’ unability to use Indonesian language well and
about the marginalization of the language from its community from generation to
generation will certainly disappear. This will make the Indonesian generation competent
in using the language in oral and written products! These hopes will sound optimistic if
there is information:”At the end of SMA/MA education, the learners are able to complete
reading at least 15 literary and non-literary books.”13

3
 The Competence Standard regarding (1) Listening, (2) Speaking, (3) Reading and
(4) Writing in the Basic Competence of Indonesian literature consisting of a range of
36-38 materials in each semester, literary subjects between 16-18 materials sounds
proportional despite the absence of the history of literature. 6-8 out of the materials are
related to the theories and knowledge about literature, and others are on appreciation.
Again, if this fact is correctly implemented, the literary appreciation will cause no
problem.
The question of why from year to year despite the changes of curricula there are
still complaints still shows that something wrong has happened. In the 1994 curriculum
and the CBC, the problem is always related to the curricula themselves, and the same
thing in connection with the new curriculum can happen. For that reason, there must be
something wrong somewhere.
The basic problem on teaching Indonesian language and literature actually relies
on the teachers to teach the theories and knowledge of such subject. It is highly suggested
that if the objectives of teaching Indonesian language and literature are on line with what
are explicitly described in the objectives in teaching Indonesian language and literature,14
the subjects regarding its theories, in particular linguistics, and knowledge should be put
aside. This is the main problem for Indonesian language subject as once stated by Sutan
Takdir Alisjahbana. Since the 1930s, the Indonesian language subjects used at schools
were mostly written by Dutch authors, and this led to the dominance of teaching
linguistics much more rather than how the language is used.15 As a result, the teaching of
Indonesian language was not focused on the mastery of skills, but led the learners to be
linguists or language experts. Here is the statement of Mr. Alisjahbana: “the
Goebernemen schools even still use the method of teaching Indonesian language which
does not help the learners to use the language.”16 He also states the following idea:

The teaching (of Indonesian language) still focuses on grammar while our great
grandparents still walk on foot and went somewhere by an old-cracked boats. This
discourages people to learn the language. The teaching techniques sound boring, just
filling in the brains without taking care of the children’s spirit. In all aspects, this way
discourages the learners.
The textbooks are just merely those elements of linguistics! .…
The language which should be taught to be used in day-to-day activities
becomes something taught just for the sake of school purposes.17

In my opinion, the contents of Indonesian linguistics must be replaced by

composition writing through which spelling and punctuations can then be started as
classroom discussions. Isn’t it true that anything related to Indonesian linguistics should
not be given to the students of Elementary School, Junior High School and Senior High
School (commonly called SD, SMP, and SMA, respectively), except for those who want
to become linguists?18
The same idea can be implented in teaching Indonesian literature. The advantage
of learners’ knowledge, understanding and memorization about plots, characters, themes,
backgrounds, points of views and language styles can be a big question if the learners do
not touch the literary works themselves. That’s a national disaster in teaching Indonesian
education, particularly the subjects of Indonesian literature, if the students are always
spoon-fed with theories and literay concepts, while the literature itself is not ‘touched’ at
all. Actually, the main point of teaching Indonesian language in all levels of education

4
should be an instruction that the learners read as many literary works as possible and the
teachers function as moderators in classroom discussions. Therefore, true or false
answers are not valid because the core is to present the reasons underlying the answers.
Literature can be poems, short stories, novels, or drama. From the books that the students
have read, the teachers can explain the concepts because the objective of learning is
literary appreciation.
The above techniques will lead the students to realize that literary subjects help
them not only do their literary appreciation, but also improve their attitudes to respect
others’ opinions. Democracy learning has taken place in the classroom, because the true
or false answers are not the focused, but the reasons behind the answers are the important
aspects.
This teaching model leads to certain consequences for the teachers. The model
requires the teachers to select certain good literary works and the contents of the tests
(daily and semester tests) which should exclude multiple choice and true-false models
that do not encourage learners to be analytical, but the essay test types, that the teachers
have to correct, that must be frequently exposed. It does not sound useful if language
learning skills (writing and reading) and literary appreciation are evaluated by using
multiple choices. Isn’t it true that teachers – and lecturers are professional? It is a must
that they must be professional as teachers.
The relevance factor with EULC is already clear! EULC gives wide opportunities
for teachers and learners to develop their own creativities and the main aim of literary
subjects is appreciation.19 A number of literary works, such as traditional literary works,
have been used everywhere in the world, but have not yet been optimally used as learning
resources. It is high time the teachers showed their intentions and encouragements to
deliver good literary teaching materials which make learners enjoy the subjects. This can
be implemented because – again – EULC has given great chances for any parties
involved in education to digest Competence Standard and Basic Competence. In EULC
the local contents and materials relevant to the local culture can be used as permitted by
the curriculum.
The National Examination is still intimidating everybody, especially the students!
This is a national disaster if the exam is considered as the one and only tool to measure
whether they pass or fail. It will be very much wise if such an exam is used to measure or
evaluate in order that we can get a map of the national administration of the educational
outputs.
To conclude, a curriculum is not a sacred book, it is only a guide that teachers can
interpret. Therefore, teachers should adjust the curriculum regarding the local conditions.
If the new curriculum, EULC, is consistently implemented, the government is strongly
suggested to create a nationally appropriate test model which is not the only tool to
evaluate the students to pass or fail. However, if the existing policy is well maintained,
this spirit undoubtedly contradicts the EULC spirit!

5
1
See point B (purpose) in Indonesian Language in EULC.
2
EULC was developed in accordance with educational unit, school’s/region’s potention, school’s/region’s characteristics,
the natives’ socio-cultural aspects, and the participants’ characteristics/ EULC is an operational curriculum which is
composed and applied by each educational unit. The composition is concerned to and based on compentemce standard and
basic competence developed by Badan Standar Nasional Pendidikan (BNSP) [The National Standard Foundation for
Education]—which used to be known as the Curriculum Center.
3
Observing the spirit of EULC, this curriculum gives teachers in varios regions a chance to develop themselves under the
circumstances of their teachers, students, school’s committee, school, and its native surroundings. There are at least five
characteristics of EULC, (1) EULC is flexible. We can see this through the freedom to add four hours to the usual teaching
hours which can add time to the regular subject or local subject hours; (2) because EULC is developed under these certain
considerations such as (a) educational unit, (b) regions’ potention, (c) native socio-cultural condition, (d) participants’
condition; (3) based on point (2), EULC demands teacher’s creativity and a more active participants; (4) EULC is also
developed with a diversification principle, it means that the school can make its own content standard and competent
standard by inserting local influences---province, city/region, and local school; (5) UELC is on the same line as educational
decentralization and school based management. Thus, the school can increase the role of school committee for the
development of its educational unit. The school can also cooperate with education stakeholders, citizenship organization or
profession organization concerning school management, development of local influence, or development of extraculliculer.
4
It has been said that the development of EULC is based on the effort to maximize the strategic function and role of the
teachers and lecturers which includes: (a) the fulfillment of teachers’ and lecturers’ rights and obligations as professional
labour, (b) the counsel and development of teachers and lecturers proffesion, (c) law protection, (d) profession protection,
and (e) safety and health protection. So teachers and lecturers as professional labours should work professionally by having
an awareness to work continually in improving their quality, not by working mechanically and routinely just to fulfill their
daily obligations. This professional awareness should be the basic foundation and the working ethos for teachers and
lecturers. In this context, the old slogan “teachers are the heroes without medals” should be thrown to the trash can and
condemn for good. As professionals, teachers and lecturers should have attitudes and prices based on his/her competence.
So prosperity insurance for teachers-lectures as professional workers have to be the main priority. Therefore, if there is a
change of curriculum, government must increase teachers’-lecturers’ rights. There must not be an impression that the central
government is taking advantages of the change of curriculum by sacrificing the teachers-lecturers in various regions.
5
The 1994 curriculum demands the teachers to be more creative in his/her role in front of the class under the rules of the
curriculum. Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) emphasized that the educational participants are the ones who should be
more creative. The teachers only act as the facilitator. In EULC, both the teachers and the participants must be creative.
Thus, EULC is a combination of the spirits based on 1994 curriculum anda CBC.
6
E. Mulyana considers that the lack of understanding in teachers and educational committee toward curriculum can be
hazardous to the output of the educational participants. This is proved when the participants cope with National Exams. The
teachers are often confused and afraid that their students cannot pass the exam (Dr. E. Mulyana, Mpd., Kurikulum Tingkat
Satuan Pendidikan, Bandung: Remaja Rosdakarya, 2006, p. 5-6)
7
In that context, class’s teachers or teachers who teach the same subject in one school educational unit or multiple schools
educational unit is being given the freedom to make his/her own syllabus. The application of that syllabus is determined by
the Principle of the school with a supervision by the school committee and Regions/city councils who are responsible in the
educational field. Meanwhile, the school committee and educational beaurocrats in each regions only get it as an
announcement.
8
E. Mulyana, Op. Cit, p. 6. It is believed that a national exam must be done to know the result of education nationally.
Mulyana offers an idea that for the sake of educational interest in the Republic of Indonesia, can be substituted by a national
judgement. Unfortunately, the idea of a substitution is not followed by a detail exposition consisting the format, steps, and
the question’s models. If it is only a change of name without a change of substance and paradigm, it will only produce the
same thing all over again. In my opinion, whatever the names of National Exam, it must determine the standard of national
education and not focusing on the graduation of educational participants.
9
E. Mulyana even emphasized that a national judgement system is needed to fix the educational problems in the country
(Indonesia). Ibid p. 6-7. Mulyana’s view strongly suggest that the national exam—or whatever the name—is the only tool to
measure the standard of national education.
10
In EULC, the name ‘Indonesian Language and Literature’ has been resurrected to its old name, ‘Indonesian Language’.
So the study of Indonesian Literature is under the umbrella of Indonesian Language. Although the essence of Indonesian
Literature is relatively proportional in Indonesian Language, but the effect will still be enourmous considering Indonesian
Literature is back to be just an ornament to Indonesian Language subject.
11
Below are the purposes of the standard competence for Indonesian Language: (1) the participamnts can develop his/her
potentials according to his/her abilities, needs, and interests. He/She also has to be able to produce appreciation toward
literature and intellectual works of his/her countrymen; (2) teachers can focus on the development of the participants’
competence of language by facilitationg them with various language activities and study resources; (3) teachers have to be
more independent in choosing language and literature study materials in accordance with the school’s and students’
codition; (4) parents and society can actively participate in the practice of language and literature programs in schools; (5)
school can arrange an educational program on language and literature under the circumstances of the students and
references available; (6) the region can decide the materials and sources according to the condition and characteristic of the
region itself but without forgetting the national interest.
12
The following are six objectives of Indonesian Language learning: in order that learners can (1) communicate effectively
and efficiently in accordance with agreed ettiquets both in oral and written manners, (2) appreciate and be proud of using
Indonesian Language as the language of unity and the nation, (3) understand Indonesian Language and use it for various
purposes appropriately, (4) use Indonesian Language to develop intellectuality and social-and-emotional maturity, (5) enjoy
and take the advantages of literary works to broaden their horizone, soften behaviour and improve knowledge and language
competence, and (6) appreciate and be proud of Indonesian literary as cultural and intellectual properties of Indonesian
people.
13
Several years ago, Taufiq Ismail et al selected compulsory text books such as novels, poem antology, short stories
antology, translated works and essays for Elementary Schools, Junior High School and Senior High Schools (commonly
called SD, SMP, and SMA respectively) in a seminar conducted by Elementary and High Scool Education. Several book
titles --10 coppies of each title-- were proposed to be sent to libraries all over Indonesia. For each SMA, 20-30 out of 50
titles with their writers and publication data were offered. The list of 15 literary books gave an opportunity for publishers to
offer their books despite lower quality books, one of which was a book on Indonesian literary history written and published
by unclear writers and publishers with misleading information within the book. The opportunities to require students to
read at least 15 literary and non-literary books at the end of SMA education indirectly leads to some unethical attitudes by
publishers, writers and schools.
14
See the footnotes 11 and 12 again.
15
Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana in his review at Poedjangga Baroe, No. 11, Th. II, May 1934, pages 353-356, criticizes the
grammar book by C.A. Mees, Beknopte Maleische Grammatica. It is said that the books is for the Deutch who learned
Malay language. For that reason, it is not appropriate if the book is for Indonesian people.
16
Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana, “Pengadjaran Bahasa” Poedjangga Baroe, No. 2, Th. I, Agoestoes 1933, page. 33-35.
17
Ibid., page. 35.
18
The experience of a highschool Indonesian Language teacher in Jakarta can be an example. When he was teaching with a
language unit subject, one of his students asked, “Sir, what’s the use of ths subject if I am to be working in a bank or a
contractor company? Can phonemes and morphemes helps me in counting numbers or calculating benefit and loss?”
19
In November 2006, I was asked to give a lecture about literature theory and critic in Tunas Harapan Jaya school at Sentul.
The purpose was to make students appreciate the literature works their teachers offered. Before starting the lecture, I asked
a few students to explain concepts like plot, characters, et cetera. They can give the answer fluently. Then I asked them of
the books (novel, short stories, poetry, or drama) they have read. Of this, they can also give a sure answers. Thus, when I
asked how the concepts of plot, characters et cetera was applied in the books they have read, nobody could answer.
However when I asked about the destiny of character A in a novel, why he had that kind of ends, what cause it, why the
society in the novel treat him that way, is the background of the event influence the society, is the work interesting or not,
why, is there any witness, and so on, turns out a few students can answer scrupulously. There are other students who agree
and disagree to the explanation. There are clashes of argument. Then I said, everybody is right! That is literature
appreciation.

Bibliography
Alishjahbana, Sutan Takdir. 1933. “Pengadjaran Bahasa”, Poedjangga Baroe, No. 2, Th. I, Agoestoes.
Mulyana, E. 2006. Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan, Bandung: Remaja Rosdakarya.