Character Education Shields Indonesia From Foreign Culture Infiltration, President Jokowi Says

President Jokowi poses for a group photo with students of Batch 2019 of Taruna Nusantara Senior High School, in front of the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Monday (4/3). (Photo by: Agung/ PR)

Character education has been adopted in school curriculum in Indonesia; therefore, we do not need to worry about the infiltration of foreign culture, according to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

“If we appreciate our own culture, and understand Indonesian traits, we should not worry about foreign culture infiltration,” President Jokowi answered to a question from a student of Taruna Nusantara Senior High School Batch 2019, at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Monday (4/3).

According to the Head of State, we are allowed to enjoy K-pop but we also have our music genre, such as keroncong, dangdut, and traditional music from various regions in Indonesia.

For that reason, the President allowed them to learn (foreign culture) as a comparison to our culture. However, character building and education, as well as education about politeness and manners in respecting teachers, parents, colleagues, and older person must be fostered at an early age to enable us preserving Indonesian characters.

“I believe we have power to protect us from foreign culture infiltration,” President Jokowi said adding that Indonesian state ideology, Pancasila, serves as a shield to protect the country from foreign culture.

“Once again, it does not matter if you like K-Pop, you are allowed to enjoy it, but we must not be affected by that culture,” he added.

President Jokowi asserted that we must be confident that Indonesia will become a great country and one of world’s largest economies since McKinsey Global Institute, the World Bank, and National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) have predicted Indonesia will become the fourth most powerful economies in the world in 2040-2045.

That means the students will enjoy the fruit of their predecessors’ labour at around age 37-40 when they have become the leaders in all sectors. “That’s when our country becomes the third or the fourth  largest economy in the world,” he added.

Also on that occasion, President Jokowi told that he has instructed Minister of Education and Culture to make Taruna Nusantara High School a model school for other high schools/vocational schools across the country. (GUN/AGG/ES)

Translated by : Rany Anjany Subachrum
Edited by : Mia Medyana Bonardy