Education for All: UN, US, and Indonesia

Everybody, with or without disabilities, has a right in getting education. Education is a fundamental human right and essential for the exercise of all other human rights (UNESCO, 2007). The Article 31 of The 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945) notes that education is the right of every citizen.  However, many schools do not give opportunities for people with disabilities to learn in the school because of problems, such as the problem in delivering message. Inclusive school and university is an alternative way to overcome this problem.

United Nations (UN), as intergovernmental organization, supports the program in equal education for people with disabilities. Through United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UN supports various international Human Rights Treaties and Conventions that uphold the right to education of all persons including article 24 of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (UNESCO, 2006). UNESCO promotes policies, practices, and programs to ensure equal education opportunities. Not only making them, but it also offers many books to support the program, such as changing teaching practices, overcoming exclusion through inclusive approaches in education, open file on inclusive education, and others. They are free downloaded books. They help schools and teachers having students with disabilities. In 2008, UN held the 48^th Session of International Conference on Education (ICE), Inclusive Education: The Way of The Future. It focused on the education for all students and paying special attention to the inclusive education of students with disabilities (UNESCO, 2008). In short, as a highest organization, UN provides and develops many programs in education, including equal education for people with disabilities.

The United States (US), as a part of UN, participates in developing inclusive school which provides the curriculum and programs. The interesting program developing education for people with disabilities is Inclusive Schools Week. Inclusive Schools Week is an annual event sponsored by the Inclusive Schools Network (ISN) and Stetson & Associates, Inc., which is held each year during the first week in December (inclusiveschools.org). The week celebrates the progress that school made in providing quality education for the students, including student with disabilities. It also accommodates a discussion in order to ensure the schools continue to improve the quality of education. In that week, there are many interesting activities, both for faculty and students. Briefly, US contribute in developing inclusive schools.

Indonesia has a great homework in providing inclusive schools. Nonetheless, this country is trying to take an important role in developing inclusive schools and universities. It happens in many cities, including Yogyakarta. In this city, there are many inclusive schools and university, such as MAN Maguwoharjo, SMA Muhammadiyah 4, SMAN 1 Sewon, and UIN Sunan Kalijaga. In those, students with disabilities learn together with students without disabilities. UIN Sunan Kalijaga provides Pusat Layanan Difabel (The Service Center for People with Disabilities) which helps them in learning and improving their skill, such as Braille book, learning media, entrepreneurship skills, and other programs. This university, in Jumat sermon, helps deaf students by providing sign language translator and the mosque provide special facilities for students with disabilities. Research in disabilities learning gets more attention and chances in getting research fund. To summarize, Indonesia is still trying in developing inclusive school and provide education for all.

All in all, Education is a fundamental right for people in this world and education institutions should provide education for all, no matter the students’ condition. Government also guarantees this runs well. Education is the only way in making the world better and it is a differentiator among human with other creatures.  

Contradictive Habits: Take off shoes before entering a house & Do Littering

Indonesia is a multicultural country with many races scattered in all directions. There are many good cultures inherited by ancestor, or bad ones and they have became habits that are implemented in daily activity. There are contradiction habits implemented by Indonesians. For instance, take off shoes before entering a house is an example of good habits that can be found in many places in Indonesia to keep a house clean. On the contrary, throw things out of car window and do littering is one of bad habits that are easily found in the community. There are some reasons why people do those habits.

As initial, take off shoes before entering a house can be found easily in some places in Indonesia, especially in rural residents. They do this to keep clean and maintain the sanctity. The majority of Indonesian people are Muslim and they use their house not only as living house, but also they use them as place worship. It is reasonable because mosque must be clean because it is a requirement to pray. Thus, taking shoes before entering house is one of ways to keep clean.

Some people, as another reason, do this habit as a way to bring in the luck to their house. This belief is inherited by ancestor as the step that should be implemented to keep luck in life. However, this is reasonable because it will keep clean the house and by this way, it will make people willing to come. In short, taking off shoes before entering a house will bring in luck because it will make the house clean.

Keep cleaning as a good tradition should be kept and preserved and implemented in daily activity. Unfortunately, some people do the opposite or do these at the same time. They take off shoes before entering a house but in other time they throw things out of car window or do littering. They do them subconsciously because these two opposites have been habits.

Do littering is done by some people because of some reasons. Do littering is not a big problem for some people because they are not disturbed and their parents do the same thing. May be, do littering is not be a problem in the past because old people used leaves as food container and leaves are organic materials. They will be decomposed by themselves. Nowadays, people should not do the same thing because they use plastic or other materials which can’t be decomposed. Thus, some people do littering because their parents do the same thing in front of them.

Limited and inaccessible trash cans are other reason why people do littering. In some place, trash cans are available, but in other place they are not. So, some people think doing littering is fine because they are in emergency condition. They demand the government to provide trash cans before keep clean. It is reasonable but awareness in maintaining the cleanliness is the most important one and it is not solely the government’s responsibility.

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors but we borrow it from our children. This quote shows us that keep clean and environment should be done by every people in this world. Indonesians should be able to distinguish good and bad custom and traditions. Good traditions should be implemented and the bad ones should be left. 

hijrah ataukah move on

hanya ada satu cara

bukan sekedar merenung, bertanya, atau bagaimana

hanya bergerak nyata

pindah ke posisi yang seharusnya

maju seiring aliran waktu

seperti halnya perayaan tahun baru

dengan visi misi yang tertuang dalam makna resolusi

yang sering dikumandangkan di bulan januari

tapi semua perlu langkah pasti

move on, hijrah, atau apalah

yang pasti hari ini hari baru

kenangan biarlah berlalu

‘kan kujadikan sebagai pelajaran

untuk mendalami arti peran

sebagai seonggok manusia dengan satu tujuan

untuk tetap mengabdi kepada Tuhan

Antismoking Law to Create Friendly Environment

Everybody needs and has right in getting health because healthy is invaluable thing for his/her. However, some people do not care about their surrounding by doing unhealthy habit, such as smoking which causes air pollution. To protect non-smoking citizens from air pollution is needed antismoking law to create friendly environment. At least, antismoking law should include three things, such as right to health, reducing cigarette production, and smoke-free zones.

Right to health, as initial, should be included in antismoking law. People need fresh air in his/her respiration to live normally. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 harmful chemicals, such as tar, arsenic, benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, and other harmful chemicals. Tar that is a mixture of lots of chemicals can cause cancer. Arsenic can cause cancer as well as damaging the heart and its blood vessels. Hydrogen cyanide is a poisonous gas and carbon monoxide sticks to our red blood cells in place of oxygen. Thus, right to health should be included in antismoking law to protect people from the dangers of cigarette smoke.

As the next, reducing cigarette production should be done by government. It has to make rule in reducing this production as the aim to bring back fresh air. It can be done by raising taxes on cigarette production or promoting awareness not to smoke early, through health institutions, schools, or the family. This way could reduce cigarette production and protect non-smoking citizens.

Subsequently, government should make smoke-free zones rule. Public place should free from cigarette smoke and provide smoking room for smoker. It is not fair that non-smokers have to inhale smoke that has the potential to affect their health. The current health risks are faced by passive smokers, even with greater risks than active smokers. Smoke-free zones and providing smoking room is fair decision in separating smokers and non smokers. So, they will get their rights.

Overall, antismoking law has to be created as soon as possible to create friendly environment. Fair decision should be take for both smokers and non smokers to preserve their rights.

Punctual and Tardy People

There are many types of people in this world. Everybody is unique and it makes this world be colorful. There are many ways in dividing people, such as race, skin color, regions, and others. One of ways in dividing people, easily and simply, is punctuality. By this type, people can be divided into punctual and tardy people.

Punctual people are the people who have good management in time. They schedule everything and manage their time to do their job effectively and efficiently. “Time is money” is their slogan. They do their jobs on time and always wait to the other jobs. Punctual people, as diligent ones, are the people whom enterprise need. However, to be punctual people needs great effort. Although it is not easy, it is not impossible to be punctual people.

In contrast, tardy people are the opposite of punctual people. They do not have good management in their time. As a consequence, they do their jobs in chaotic. Have a difference of punctual people, tardy ones usually are the lazy people. They wait the deadline to do the job. Finally, they need longer time in finishing. In short, tardy people are the people who do not plan their time in doing the job.

To be punctual or tardy people is a choice. Everybody has to choose one of them and receive the consequence. Considering the effect is the best way to decide the decision.

 

Death Penalty as Controversy

Rule and law are needed in this world to create peaceful world and protect people right. However, there are many controversial laws, death penalty for the instance. Death penalty has been the punishment in many countries for a long time ago. Some people agree with this punishment, but disagree for others.

Death penalty, for some people, is relevant in this era. As the highest punishment, it is good to control peacefulness. For example, if there is a person who kills others, he/she will get this punishment. It will make people think twice to kill someone and protect human right to live. This punishment will decrease crime and give the secure for people who live in this world. Beside for murderer, death penalty is some people opinion is relevant for corruptor. They kill many people because of their faults. Thus, death penalty is relevant in this era.

On the contrary, some people think this punishment is no longer relevant in this era because they think that only God who have right to take someone’s soul. The government has to protect the citizen right to live although for some murderer. Murderer and corruptor have a right too to change their life to be better. In short, only God has right to take someone’s soul.

To sum up, relevant or not, people in this world need to live safely and have rights to live normally. Execution in death penalty should be reviewed again. The most important is not the execution, but to keep the world peacefully.

Kick Andy as an educational TV program

Television, commonly abbreviated as TV, is a media tool which can be used for promoting and communicating by its programs. Bad as the TV programs are broadcasted in many TV channels, good and educational programs still get spot on the show. Kick Andy is one of good programs that is surviving and gets attention from the audience. Ki Hadjar Dewantara said that education is about “educating the head (cognition), the heart (affection), and the hands (psychomotor)”[1]. This-talk show is educational program because it presents two of three education domains, cognition and affection, and inspiring.

Cognition, as initial, is often associated with knowing and program presented by Andy F. Noya shows this aspect. Kreativitas Tanpa Batas (unlimited creativity) that was aired on February 8, 2013 and Kreasi Anak Negeri (creation of domestic people) on May 8, 2009 are the small part of many cognitive shows in Kick Andy. These shows explain the ability of domestic people in science and creativity. They could create and produce many valuable products. As other evidence, in the end of sections, this program shares many books to the audience. In other word, with cognitive shows, Kick Andy is the one of education program and contributes in developing Indonesian education.

Subsequently, Kick Andy has aired many shows which are related with affection. Affection is often associated with feeling and heart. It has showed many affective programs such as Berbagi dengan Sesama (share with others) on January 25, 2013 and Bahagia dalam Keterbatasan (happy in limitations) at January 18, 2013. They are the evidences that this is educational program and teaches us about caring, sharing, and helping others. Not only on theory and assembly, this program has a foundation to collect funds from generous people and share to people in need. Obviously, Kick Andy has been the educational TV program and actively participate improving education in this country.

This program inspires Indonesian citizen. It has been the great teacher. The mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, the great teacher inspires (William Arthur Ward). The shows have influenced, moved, and guided the audience to be better. This is the main in education. It makes the people improve their selves and create real learners who learn to learn, without compulsion. In short, Kick Andy never stops inspiring and participating in education.

In conclusion, as TV program, Kick Andy is consistent in showing quality programs and actively participates in improving Indonesian people to be better. This has been an education TV program and deserves to be watched.

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[1] Theo Riyanto, Pemikiran Ki Hajar Dewantara Tentang Pendidikan, http://bruderfic.or.id/h-59/pemikiran-ki-hajar-dewantara-tentang-pendidikan.html accessed at May 9, 2012.

A person who has made a difference: Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein is a well-known physicist even though he had many problems in his educational background. When he was child, he could not grow normally like other children. He also didn’t pass the final secondary school exam and failed entering Zurich University. He had many different ways in thinking and solving the problems with his teachers and lecturers that cause them to presume Albert was the dull person.

His “different way” in thinking and solving his problem made him feel free to think anything with anyways. He developed some spectacular physics theories without having to obey old theories, such as special and general relativity, mass-energy equivalence, and photoelectric effect.  Nowaday, his theory, mass-energy equivalence, E=mc², and general relativity are the most famous formula in physics. On contrary, at that moment this theory was not received. After he got nobel prize in phycics for his theoritical phycics theory, photoelectric effect, some scientists started to turn their ways in thinking. Later, this theory took the main rule in quantum theory.

He had changed the viewpoint of physicist from Classical Mechanics (Newtonian mechanics) into Quantum mechanics. He had changed the scientists’ opinions about gravity, energy, time and space, and electron’s behavior. He has regarded as the father of modern physics.

BBM, Communication or Miscommunication

Nowadays, Information and communication technology is growing rapidly. Blackberry Messenger, abbreviated as BBM, is one of phenomena in communication technology. As the facility of blackberry, BBM gets more attention than the other features in this smart-phone. It helps people in communication with others. Unfortunately, it could be the problem in communication. Why it can be?

BBM, as the one of information and communication media, helps people in connecting each others. This feature helps people inform their conditions and send texts easily. Not only text, they can share videos, pictures, songs, and others from their mobile phones. It makes communication be easier for the community because it possible to make groups and share their hobbies and their pleasures. In short, the users get closer each others by blackberry messenger.

In contrary, BBM also can be the problem in communication. It happen because of the habit of users. Usually, the users use this feature all of day. It can be “the addictive drug”. They can not escape from using this media. They spend their time in making communication with others and lose their time. Even, some people do not care with their around and do not pay attention when their friends talk with them. It makes their friends be ignored. It is pathetic. It is blunder because the users try to make communication be effective, but they get the result conversely.

In summary, blackberry messenger has positive and negative effects in communication. The control of users is the main point in using this feature of smart-phone. Ideally, the growing in information and communication technology helps the people in communication.

By Muhammad Zamhari

The Unfair Final Match of UCL

UCL, UEFA Champion League, comes to the grand final match between Bayern Munchen and Chelsea. In the final, game should be held on the fair stadium. But, in 2011/2012, the showpiece European final takes place at the Allianz Arena which is the home of Chelsea’s opponents, Bayern Munchen. It means that FC Hollywood, Munchen nickname, will play as “the home”. Although the final stadium has been chosen before, this is unfair game because of the feeling and condition of Munchen players, and the number of supporters.

The feeling and condition of Munchen players, as the initial reason, will be different with Chelsea players. Munchen players who more understand with their ground have been familiar with the condition and atmosphere of Allianz Arena. They will fell comfort and get huge advantages from this game. In prediction, they will play easier than chelsea because they have been adapted with the ground and come to the place without long journey. It makes their condition fit. In other word, Munchen player will play the final in better condition.

The other reason, the number of supporters of Munchen will be more than Chelsea ones. The supporters, in final, will be devided into three groups, i.e. the supporters from each teams and neutral supporters. The neutral supporters believed to be filled by Munchen’s supporters. Supporters of Munchen come to the studium easily than Chelsea ones. Even, the whole of Bavarian could come to support the Germany’s delegation. In short, Munchen’s player will get more energy from the supporters.

To sum up, Bayern Munchen will get more benefit because they will play in their home base. To avoid it, UEFA should move the stadium of final match.

by: Muhammad Zamhari