Microsoft Word - I Ketut Tanu 1 IMPLEMENTATION OF HINDU RELIGION EDUCATION AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF CULTURAL STUDIES I Ketut Tanu 1 , I Made Suastika2, I Gde Parimartha.2, I Wayan Subagia 1School for Graduate Study, Udayana University 2Faculty of Letters, Udayana University ABSTRACT Religious education was firstly implemented based on the Act of Number 4 year 1950, concerning education and teaching. In one of its articles, it is stated that Indonesia is a religion-based country. The govern ment has the right and is obliged to arrange religious education starting from Kindergarten to University and the time allocated for this is 2 (two) hours per week. However, an imbalance has occurred as far as Hindu Religion education is concerned, that is, the students at particular educational institutions are not provided with Hindu Religion education as intended by the Act. In Article 30 of the Act of Number 20 year 2003 concerning national education system, on the other hand, it is stated that: any religious education can be carried out by the government and or a community’s group belonging to a particular religion in accordance with the applicable regulations. It is also stated that religious education is functioned to prepare the students to be able to comprehend and apply their religious teaching values and or to be experts in religions. In addition, it is also stated that religious education can be formally and informally conducted in the forms of diniyah, pesantren, pesraman, phabaja, smnera, and the like. How Hindu Religion educa tion is implemented at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendra Elementary School Depasar cannot be separated from the infrastructure, facilities, curri culum and teachers available, and the government’s policy. Therefore, this study is focused on 1) the existence of the components needed for implementing Hindu Religion education, 2) the factors influencing the implementation of Hindu religion education, and 3) the meaningfulness and attempts done to implement Hindu Religion education if related to the inventory of Balinese culture. This study is conducted to explain, describe, criticize, and analyze the implementation of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendra Elementary School Denpasar. The benefit that is intended to be achieved in this study is to contribute to the inventory of Hinduism and to serve as something to be taken into account when any decision related to Hindu Religion education is made. Researches on Hinduism have been conducted by some researchers. However, only a few have been carried out related to Hindu Religion education. Further matters related to Hindu Religion education provided at elementary school need to be done. The concepts made available in this study are very essential. The reason is that such concepts serve as the guidelines in this study. The concepts employed are those related to the implementation of education, general education, Hindu Religion education, Elementary School, and cultural studies. The theories employed to answer the matters related to the implementation of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendra Elementary 2 School Depasar are: 1) the Derida’s theory of deconstruction, 2) Gramsci’s theory of Hegemony, and 3) Piaget’s constructivistic theory. In addition, a research model is also employed in this study. The reason is that it serves as the researcher’s thinking flow in describing and reporting the research. The methods employed in this study include the research planning, the research location, the types and sources of data, the informant determination, the research instruments, the data collecting technique, the data analysis, and how the results are presented. The purpose is to obtain objective data concerning the implementation of Hindu Religion education at elementary school. The objective research method is able to describe totally and objectively how Hindu Religion education is implemented at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendara Elementary School Denpasar. The novelty in this study is that the learning infrastructure and facilities needed to carry out Hindu Religion education both at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendra Elementary School Depasar have not been in accordance with the minimum standard of service , that the curriculum has not been totally oriented towards the schools’ potentials and students, that the teachers have not been innovated in the learning process, and that the government’s policy has not been made for multicultural education. In the process of learning Hindu Religion, the schools have attempted to increase the quality of Hindu Religion education, to develop school-based management, and to apply multidisciplinary approach. Key word: Implementation of Hindu Religion Education. INTRODUCTION This study is concerned with “The Implementation of Hindu Religion Education at Elementary School Viewed from the Perspective of Cultural Studies”. To make matters pertain to meaning, some social realities or problems occurring in the implementation of Hindu Religion education at elementary school are referred to. Empirically, however, the implementation of Hindu Religion education cannot be separated from the components available in Hinduism learning, the factors influencing the implementation of Hindu Religion education, the attempts developed and the meaningfulness obtained in the implementation of Hindu Religion education. The implementation of Hindu Religion at Elementary School is more dominated by the government’s centralistic bureaucrat tic system. Consequently, the educational institutions and their supporting environment are less able to realize the schools’ culture in accordance with the vision and mission of the national education. The educational system, as a strong and prestigious social institution, is able to make all the citizens qualified and proactive in giving response to the changeable challenges of the era. The imbalance occurring in the implementation of education, including Hindu Religion education at Elementary School, results from the dichotomy between religious education and other general educations. This is caused by the fact that the government’s policy in implementing national education including Hindu Religion education has employed 4 (four) strategies such as : 1) equality in obtaining education, 2) educational relevance, 3) increase in the quality of 3 education, and 4) efficiency in education (Sanaky, 2003: 145). MATERIAL AND DISCUSSION The availability of the components of the implementation of Hindu Religion education at Elementary school seems to affect the learning process conducted by the teachers and the students greatly. The Act of Number 20 year 2003, on the other hand, implies that the learning infrastructure and facilities should absolutely be met to make the learning process carried out in accordance with what is needed by the students. In addition to the infrastructure and facilities, the availability of curriculum plays an important role in implementing Hindu Religion Education at elementary school. The standard of curriculum of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School determined by the government can increase the quality of Hindu Religion education for the students. What is intended is that the better quality can increase the students’ morality and faith in accordance with what is intended by religions education. In relation to this, Fuchan (2005:5) states that curriculum as a learning means can give meaningfulness to the educational process followed by the students. The availability of Hindu Religion teachers at Elementary School plays an important role in implementing Hindu Religion education. In other words, if they are not available, then the learning process cannot be optimally carried out. The Hindu Religion teachers’ qualification is far from being adequate. Most of them are Diploma II and Diploma III graduates. The Government’s Regulations of Number 19 year 2005 implies that the teachers should be at least Diploma IV graduates or strata one (S1) ones. The government’s policy greatly contributes to the implementation of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School. The implementation of Hindu Religion education refers to: 1) the Central Government’s policy, 2) the Provincial Government’s policy, and 3) the Regencial/Town Government’s policy. The matters that are covered in this study are: 1) what components of Hindu Religion education are available at Elemen tary School; 2) what factors affecting the implementation of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School; 3) what attempts can be developed and what meaningfulness can be obtained from the implementation of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School if related to the inventory of Balinese culture. Generally, this study aims at discussing and describing the process of Hindu Religion education implementation at Elementary School viewed from the perspective of cultural studies. Specifically, this study aims at identifying, describing, and understanding the implementation of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendra Elementary School Depasar. The theoretical benefit of the results of this study is that a more valid and clearer conceptual framework for the implementation system of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School can be provided especially if viewed from the perspective of cultural studies. The practical benefit of the results of this study is that contribution in the form of ideas can be provided to those who make policies and new strategies for implementing Hindu Religion education at Elementary School. The researchers who have conducted researches on Hindu Religion education at Elementary School are: 1) Tanu (2004) with his research entitled Attempts to Understand Model Learning of 4 Hinduism at school; 2) Tanu (2005) with his study entitled Strategy for Developing Hindu Religion Education at Elementary Schools; 3) Subagia (2006) who revealed the concept of Tri Guru in educational development in Bali; 4) Mudiarta (2006) with his study entitled The Learning Patterns of Hindu Religion at Sekolah Tinggi Agama Hindu Negeri Tampung Penyang Palangka Raya Kalimantan Tenga; 5) Nanduq (2006) with his research entitled Hinduism Learning at SMA Negeri 1 Denpasar in the Multicultural Perspective ; (6) Suardana (2007) with his research entitled The Hindusim Learning Model at Orphanage of Darma Jati Klung kung; and Sari (2007) with her study entitled The Learning Patterns and Attempts to Increase the Quality of Hindu Religion Education at Elementary Schools. The concepts employed in this study are: 1) Education Imple mentation; 2) National Education; 3) Hindu Religion Education; 4) Elementary School; 5) the Perspec tive Cultural Studies. The theories applied in this study are: 1) Derrida’s Theory of Deconstruction; 2) Gramci’s Theory of Hegemony, and 3) Piaget’s Theory of Construc tivistic. The approach applied in this study is descriptive qualitative approach. In addition, the approach of cultural studies is also applied in understanding various social realities that are referred to when understanding the attempts to be developed and the meaningfulness obtained when implementing Hindu Religion education. This type of study is not intended to produce a generalization or a general conclu sion, but to explain the implementation of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School systematically, factually and accurately. The types of data employed in this study are qualitative and quantitative data. The data sources in this study include the primary data which were obtained from the headmasters, the Hindu Religion teachers, the Supervisors supervising Hindu Religion teaching, the Committee members, and the observers paying attention to Hindu Religion education at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendra Elementary School Denpasar , and secondary data including the research results, journals and literature which are relevant. The informants were purposively determined, that is, the informants were chosen based on the strata and objective intended to achieve (Arikunto, 1983: 98). Those who were chosen as the informants were those who know and understand the problems occurring in the implementation of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School. The research instruments employed to conduct the research activities starting from the beginning to the end of the research were the interview guideline and tape recorder. The data were collected by observation, interview, and document and library research. The data were analyzed by: 1) describing the data, 2) reducing the data, and 3) interpreting the data. The data analysis was formally presented. The results of the data analysis was descriptively presented in the form of a scientific report or dissertation. The infrastructure and facilities available for Hindu Reli gion education at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendra Elementary School Depasar up to academic year 2007/2008 are: 1) Padmasana (a type of shrine), 2) Textbooks of Hinduism, and 3) the picture of Dewata Nawa Sanga . The school has attempted to meet the infrastructure and facilities needed by the students in the learning process. The curriculum of Hindu Religion education applicable at Elementary School follows the learning process applicable for the curriculums of general subjects. The curriculum of Hindu Religion education is developed in 5 accordance with the standard of curriculum of the level of educational unit at Elementary School. The availability of Hindu Religion teachers at Elementary School plays an important role in forming the students’ morality. The requirements of teachers are arranged in the Act of Number 14 year 2005 concerning Teachers and Lecturers. One of the policies in education determined by the government is that the issue of the Government’s Regulations of Number 19 Year 2005 concerning the Standard of National Education (SNP). Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri Depasar is different from Dwijendra Elementary School Depasar concerning their regulations, learning hours, and other supporting facilities, adjusted to their respective schools. The national education politics in implementing Hindu Religion education at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendra Elementary School Denpa sar determines the direction and the policy made for Hindu Religion education. This is in accordance with what is stated by Tilaar (2003) that the political power in education is transformative, that is, the process describing the occurrence of relationship between power and education. The environmental influen ce in implementing Hindu Religion education at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendra Elementary School Denpasar greatly contributes to the formation of the students’ morality. The reason is that the good environmental influence can increase the students’ interest in learning Hinduism. The changes in social and cultural values made by the students at Elementary School Dauh Puri Number 17 and Dwijendra Elemen tary School Denpasar in carrying out Hindu Religion education has not fully involved the community’s components yet. As a result, the social and cultural changes appearing in the process of Hindu Religion learning are not in accordance with what is expected by the students and community. The multicultural infra structure and facilities for Hindu Religion learning at school are continuously made available and developed in every learning process by the students and teachers. The objective is that the students are able to discover Hindu Religion education values available in their families, schools, and community totally. Quality-based education at Elementary School constitutes the government’s further policy in increasing the quality of national education, including Hindu Religion education. The quality transfor mation of Hindu Religion education at school is initiated by adopting new paradigms concerning Hindu Religion educational values available at the students’ families, schools and community. The attempt to increase the quality of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School is made through the activities that can touch the students’ learning experience. The meaningfulness developed in increasing the quality of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendra Elementary School Depasar is done by totally involving the teachers, the students, the supervisors, the headmasters, and the committee members that they are aware of their respective respon sibilities and functions. The application of school-based management is the attempt developed in realizing Hindu Religion education at Elementary School. The obstacles faced in implementing Hindu Religion education are as follows: 1) the students’ administration is not valid; 2) the teachers’ administration; and 3) the staff’s administration which is very bureaucratic. The development of school-based 6 management at Elementary School is intended to provide the students with maximum service in the learning process. The multidisciplinary appro ach serves as the attempt developed by the schools in the learning process. The objective is that the students understand that the learning materials given in the religion learning process are not independent. NOVELTY The novelties in this study are: 1) The components available for implementing Hindu Religion education such as: infrastructure and facilities, curriculum, teachers and the government’s policy are adjusted to what is really needed by the teachers, and the school’s potentials. The learning infrastructure and facilities made available which are adjusted to what is needed by the students and the implementation of Hindu Religion education are oriented towards the learning activities. Unlike before, the infrastructure and facilities were made homogenously available without considering the students’ background. 2) The political, economic, environmental, social and cultural influence on the implementation of Hindu Religion education is adjusted to the respective school condition. The authority in the implementation of Hindu Religion education has started to pay attention to the students’ diversity and abilities. Unlike before, the Authority dominated the implementation of Hindu Religion education. 3) The materials of multicultural education, the increase in the quality of Hindu Religion education, school-based manage ment, and multidisciplinary approach are the attempts developed by the schools in implementing Hindu Religion education. Unlike before, the implementation of Hindu Religion education was only oriented towards general objectives. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION The conclusions which can be withdrawn in this study are: 1) the components of the implementation of Hindu Religion education at Elementary School Number 17 Dauh Puri and Dwijendra Elementary School Denpasar are adjusted to what is needed by the students and the real school’s potentials; 2) National education, economic, environmental, social and cultural politics greatly contributes to the elementary school students’ under standing of diversity; 3) Availability of multicultural infrastructure and facilities, increase in the quality of Hindu Religion education, develop ment of school-based management, and multidisciplinary approach are the attempts developed by the schools in implementing Hindu Religion education. The suggestions and recommendations that can be made are: 1) The related parties, that is, the Department of Religion Affairs and the Department of National Education should behave fairly in implementing Hindu Religion educa tion; 2) The decision makers should pay attention to how the infras tructure and facilities are made available for Hindu Religion learning at Elementary School; 3) All parties, that is, the teachers, the students and the parents should also directly control the implementation of Hindu Religion education at schools. BIBLIOGRAPHY Abdullan, Amin, 2005. Pendidikan Agama Multicultural Multi Religius. Malang: Pusat Studi Agama Mohamadiyah. Adriono, 2006. Melejitkan Potensi Anak Didik. Bandung: Mizan Media Utama. 7 Agus Salim, 2001. Teori dan Paradigma Penelitian Sosial. Yogyakarta: PT Tiara Wacana. Agus Salim, 2002. Perubahan Sosial. Yogyakarta: PT. Tiara Wacana. Ahmadi. Abu, 2001. Ilmu Pendidi kan. Yogyakarta: PT. Rineka Cipta. Alwasilah, Chaedar, A. 2007. 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