Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project| 91 P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project Ira Rengganis1, Teguh Ibrahim2, Ani Hendriani3, Winda Marlina Juwita4 1Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Indonesia 2Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Indonesia 3Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Indonesia 4Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Indonesia 1rengganisira@upi.edu, 2teguh.ibrahim14@upi.edu, 3anihendriani@upi.edu, 4winda.mj@gmail.com Abstract The background of this study is the increasingly massive water privatization project carried out by foreign companies, which triggers the injustice related to water acquisition rights experienced by Indonesians. The aim of this research is to sue water privatization through education based on critical literacy in elementary schools. The students needed to confront problematic texts, which were then critically analyzed to produce new arguments to promote justice, solutions, and hope. The research method used is a case study that aims to have an in-depth understanding of the results of elementary school students' analyses of the water privatization practice. The results of this study conclude that water privatization can be sued in various ways, one of which is by providing critical literacy-based education and socialization aimed at uncovering the facts of injustice from the practice. Through education based on critical literacy, elementary school students are able to parse problems by identifying causality in the text, promoting hopes for justice, and producing argumentative texts that are rival and solutions to water privatization. Keywords: Critical Literacy, Critical Pedagogy, Water Privatization INTRODUCTION Water privatization is one of the projects causing a serious environmental crisis in Indonesia, especially if it occurs massively. Water privatization occurs massively because water is considered as an economic good and commodity that can bring profits to private companies in the future. Research notes that water privatization projects come with social conflicts, gimmicks of injustice, and of course, disastrous ecological impacts. (Shiva, 2002) noted that: “water commodification and privatization have led to disaster for people from the lower class in terms of limited access to water and have triggered the economic conflicts between people, countries and private companies" (Vandana, 2002). Furthermore, according to (Mulyani, 2008), the government has not fully perceived the “nuances” of damage and loss happening in the work field, particularly in the case of water privatization. Irfan Zamzami, a researcher from the Amrta Institute for Water Literacy, the residents of Sukabumi Regency experienced repercussions because of the water exploitation in the area." Most of them are impoverished and have difficulty accessing clean water. He found that 24 percent of residents living close to the bottled water companies are categorized as impoverished. (Aprillatu & mailto:email-author@ymail.com 92 | Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 Pramirvan Datu, 2013). Another study found that in the company's licensing process there was manipulation or forgery of the signatures ofar local residents. (Sumandoyo, 2017). Referring to the empirical findings, in its core, the massive water privatization and exploitation have been detrimental to local communities in Indonesia in terms of economic and ecological aspects. This is a phenomenon of injustice that should be sued, because it goes against Pancasila and UUD 1945 about natural resources management. One of the ways to challenge water privatization is to socialize and educate the community, especially the next generation, about the possibility that injustice and discrimination may happen as repercussions of the project and the hope that the local communities can also compete in utilizing the water sources for the common good. In this study, the authors attempted to offer solutions by providing education on elementary school students with critical literacy-based learning approach. The purpose is to sue to the facts of the injustice as a repercussion of the water privatization projects through critical dialogue, critical reading, and writing critical arguments. In this study, critical literacy is used as an analytical procedure that could potentially expand the understanding and perspective of the students about issues of power and social inequality caused by the water privatization. Critical literacy is an important idea in the education world. It promotes literacy as an ability to think with the goal of creating meaning out of various life phenomena, as well as a force to change the unjust social order. Critical literacy-based learning also helps the students in speaking their minds about their experience in an oppressive social system (Lankshear & McLaren, 1993; Rosenblatt, 2018). In fact, it is not only about the social system that oppresses, critical literacy also tries to become a challenger of the unjust status quo and tries to reveal the diverse hidden veil of social problems that threaten human values. Critical literacy may also be interpreted as a learning method which utilize language in order to discover the relation between language and power. It also focuses on the need to create speakers, readers, and authors, who are critical and able to deconstruct and interpret the texts that surrounds them, both as a product and process of specific social practice. (Ioannidou, kr2014). Critical literacy education pays attention to how language, power, and social institutions interact and influence each other. Critical literacy often includes elements and indicator such as 1) disturbing the status quo, 2) interrogating various viewpoints, 3) highlighting socio-political issues, and 4) taking action and promoting social justice" (Lewison et al., 2002). Critical literacy learning in elementary schools has been studied by several education practitioners in Indonesia. For example, (Rengganis et al., 2021) who raised the theme of Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project| 93 P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 "greedy village head" have helped students to analyze the injustice of a leader towards his people, correlate human vicesL and greed, and formulate arguments to convey input, suggestions, and hopes. Then (Rengganis et al., 2019) implemented critical literacy learning in elementary schools with the theme of shark fin exploitation. The study concluded that elementary school students can critically analyze the shark fin phenomenon by describing their problems, causes, and expectations through imaginative and illustrative images. In addition, students are also able to provide critical arguments regarding suggestions, criticisms, and utopias. Based on the opinion of experts and research that has developed, we find a gap in critical literacy research that raises the theme of exploitation or privatization of water in elementary schools. It presents a monopoly of springs in Indonesia by foreign parties, which have economic and ecological impacts on the surrounding community in Indonesia. The students were faced with problems which represent various issues that arise due to the massive water privatization projects We hope that there will be an increase of public awareness about the importance independent management of natural resources by the natives so the profits from the economic commodity benefit Indonesians directly, fairly, and equally. METHOD Research Paradigm and Methods This research utilized the qualitative paradigm with case study method. This method attempts to analyze the data from several real-life cases and give an in-depth understanding of specific issues. Specific issues that were analyzed are about how primary school students critically give their analysis of water privatization projects, which leads to the discrimination of the water sources utilization rights. The case studies in this research also highlight the researchers' efforts in reflecting on the practice of critical literacy learning, which has helped the students in developing ability to critically analyzed issues related to water privatization and its social impact. Furthermore, this case study also analyzed the artifacts or the critical literacy works created by the students during the process of text interrogation and deconstruction. Research Subject, Place and Time The research subject is students of grade four in SD Laboratorium Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI). In this study, the researchers also acted as practitioners who conducted FGDs and lesson study with SD Laboratorium UPI teachers for the improvement of the quality of literacy teaching in primary schools. Then, the students played a role as the 94 | Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 subject, who performs problematization of discrimination and exploitation that might occur as a result of the massive water privatization projects. The students were assigned to analyze the phenomenon, then the results of their analyses were used as influential artifacts of research. Research Instrument and Data Analysis 1. The researcher adopted the theoretical framework of the (Cazden et al., 1966) and (Kress, 2003) for data analysis. They theorized that literacy learning should help students to (a) harness the available multimodal resources to question messages in texts and redesign the text to produce alternative meaning and (b) use cultural and epistemological values that they know to interpret the world. 2. The researchers used data triangulation analysis through our reflective notes, field notes of the observer discussed in a participatory manner through FGD to obtain the results of the application of critical literacy-based learning process. The results are descriptions that are ordered chronologically based on the syntax or stages of learning. 3. Visual and textual aspects of the students' critical literacy work are transcribed using the interactional multimodal methodological framework, an analytic method that is concerned with describing people’s statements and reactions to a specific interaction situation (Norris, 2004). 4. For the analysis of the students' artifacts (students' illustrative pictures and argumentative texts), the researchers used the multimodal social semiotic approach, an analytical method that focuses on understanding how individuals use all modes of representation as a meaningful social resource (Bezemer & Jewitt, 2010) . 5. For the interview and classroom observation analyses, qualitative and interpretive research methods are used. The researcher adopted the microanalytic method — linear analysis of qualitative data (Corbin & Strauss, 2010). The researchers carefully identified the phrases, sentences, and themes related to the research questions and ideas selected to be analyzed.. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Results The results of this study are a description of the process of critical literacy-based learning which consists of the students' critical analysis about water privatization phenomenon. This stage used a variety of methods, for example, video screening, critical dialogue, reading and interrogating the text critically, as well as producing works of critical literacy thinking Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project| 95 P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 which included illustrations and argumentative texts. The learning process begins with the problematization method. Basically, this method means suing, questioning, or exposing the students to the issue. It must be noted that the problem in this research is highly related to the small communities affected by the water privatization project. At this stage, the issue of water privatization is packaged contextually by involving the students in a discussion about various brands of mineral water, their favorite brand, and asking them about the owners of the mineral water company. After the discussion led to the water privatization practice, the researcher-teacher started the problematization by presenting an ironic fact behind the beauty and richness of mineral water resources which have yet to give a significant impact on the welfare of Indonesian lower class. It is caused by the control the foreign/private sector had of the springs. This phenomenon is called water privatization, namely the efforts of private/foreign parties to own Indonesia's natural resources for commodification, profit, which might put the lower class at risk. In this section, the researchers also had a critical dialogue with the students about the many foul practices on the acquisition/purchase of land containing water sources. The researchers and students analyzed the relation between water privatization and the social and individual life, which triggered sympathy and concern, efforts to find the cause of the core problem, and its impact on the future environment. At this stage occurs a critical dialog, that should run slowly and carefully. At the problematization stage, critical literacy learning utilized probing questions which "encourage thinking, asking for clarification or elaboration. The importance of dialogue in the process of problematization is dialogism as one of the forms of Paulo Freire's critical literacy philosophy (Freire & Macedo, 1987) . At this stage, it is found that some of the students felt surprised, astonished, and angry when they knew the practice of purchasing springs by foreign parties negatively impacted the surrounding community in terms of ecological and economic aspects. The students thought that water privatization is a serious problem. They were concerned about the possibility of drought in Indonesia. They were also concerned about future water price. At this stage, the inquiry learning process happened with the aim of teaching school- age students on critical and reflective thinking to uncover the injustice found in water privatization issue. At this stage, the researchers and students have agreed to ‘work’ by listening to each other, appreciating each other's ideas, building on each other's ideas, and understanding that there may not be a correct answer. The researchers and students shared stories. After the dialogue, the students were asked to read problematic text about water 96 | Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 privatization. The text presented was non-fiction text in narration form that contains facts and illustrations of the water privatization projects, which happened massively in Indonesia the reference is taken from (Sumandoyo, 2017) At this stage, the foreign companies are described as starting to own the state's assets by purchasing some strategic land rich in minerals. The text also describes the nature exploitation of the water privatization project, which cause the discrimination of the surrounding community’s water acquisition rights. Furthermore, the water privatization projects by foreign companies caused the decline of bottled water companies made in local people. The authors proposed some questions to help the students analyze critically the structure of the water privatization issue. They answered these questions in writing. The results of the students' analysis are presented in the figure and table below: Table 1. Critical Analysis of the Issue Profile No Question Answers Student's Name 1 How do you feel after knowing that there are a lot of problems with water resources management in Indonesia? Sad Jasmine Angry Rajjan Angry Mazaya Angry Kayyisa Angry Nadine Upset Arya Sad Ghiffar Angry Abyan Angry Ayesha 2 Why do you feel so? Please explain! I feel like that because the spring will deplete if it was used as a source of drinking water. Jasmine I think it is not fair, because if you owned a spring then it was taken and purchased by foreigners, it is not fair. The water supply will deplete. Rajjan I do not agree with it, the spring is ours, why we need to purchase it? The foreigners and Chinese should not buy it Mazaya We need to buy it because they obtain water from Indonesia. Foreigners are the ones who obtain it, not Indonesians. Kayyisa Because people protested and it is ours, so we should Pay Nadine Chill because it's not my prob, it's theirs Arya Because drought may happen Ghiffar Because drought may happen in Indonesia Abyan I'm panic and angry because of the springs, but we have to purchase it, and I'm afraid of drought Ayesha Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project| 97 P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 3 You have listened to the story and read the text, what is the real problem of water resource management in Indonesia? The spring is continuously extracted for water, which will result in drought Jasmine Foreign companies purchase a range of residential areas, rice fields, springs. If the lands were purchased, the status became private property Rajjan The problem is why Indonesia's water becomes the property of foreign factories? While it is in fact ours? Mazaya It is said that in 2040, we will run out of water and its price will be more expensive and if water was continuously extracted, it will deplete, why do we have to purchase them? Kayyisa We purchase water in our country because people are protesting about foreigners, and foreign factories purchased people's land for its water and the people who owned the land buy water from the foreign factory Nadine The prob is that the people don't fight for their land, property Arya It causes drought, demonstration Ghiffar Drought may happen in Indonesia Abyan The thing happening in Indonesia is shortage of water and the beginning of drought in Central Java Ayesha 4 In your opinion, why the problem can happen in Indonesia? Because of the arrival of foreign companies Jasmine Because the foreign factories extract water in Indonesia Rajjan Because foreign factories buy with a high price Mazaya Because Indonesia is rich, they cheated on us. We need to buy, they only want the profits, they let the drought from happening Kayyisa Foreign factories purchase people's land to resell it Nadine Indonesia is an easy target Arya Because there is bribery Ghiffar Because foreign factories have purchased Indonesia's land Abyan Because foreign factories extracted our water constantly and it may run out, they can also detect the location of springs in Indonesia Ayesha 5 Who gets the negative outcomes of problem? Indonesians Jasmine The community Rajjan The impoverished Mazaya Indonesia Kayyisa Foreign factories Nadine The community Arya Indonesia Ghiffar Indonesians Abyan The surrounding residents Ayesha 6 What are the negative outcomes? Drought may happen if there were no source of water Jasmine The water will be limited Rajjan We will run out of water Mazaya Indonesia will run out of water Kayyisa Selling our land Nadine Indonesia is going to dry Arya Drought Ghiffar Water shortage Abyan Foreign factories do not provide water to the residents Ayesha 98 | Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 7 What foul practices that they do? Purchase the lands of Indonesians and they do not care about them Jasmine They extracted water of Indonesian springs Rajjan They take Indonesian springs Mazaya They extracted Indonesian water and they sell it to Indonesians Kayyisa Selfishness Nadine Taking Indonesian property and selling it Arya Bribery Ghiffar The land belongs to us but we have to buy Abyan The water is extracted continuously by foreign factories, most Indonesian islands experience drought Ayesha Based on table 1, to build a critical analysis of the essence, causes, and impact of a problem, we should start with confirming the emotional side first. A lot of students felt sad, upset and, angry seeing the rise of the water privatization project in Indonesia. There are many reasons, such as the fear of experiencing a drought, which results in the shortage of clean water. There were also some students who managed to pull out injustice issue, such as Rajjan, “I think this is not fair, because you have springs but the foreigners take and use it for profit, later, the water supply may run out”. According to Rajjan, injustice happens when the water springs belonging to the people is sold cheaply to foreign companies. Mazaya added, “I do not agree with it, the water springs are ours, why we should buy it (water)? The foreigners and Chinese should not trade them.” Mazaya wondered why the water springs which belong to the Indonesians are owned by foreigners. She is very disappointed that Indonesians have to buy drinking water obtained from springs in Indonesia. After raising the students' emotional side and critical awareness, the next step focused on the analysis of the core problem. Mazaya said that the core problem is “the water springs belonging to Indonesia are managed by foreign factories”, Nadine further clarified that “we buy water in our own country because foreign factories purchase people's land for water factories. Then Rajjan added that the core problem is “the foreign companies have purchased a number of residential areas, rice fields, water springs. If the land is already purchased, then it becomes their private property.” The next question related to the analysis of the causes of the problems and the repercussions the community experienced. Jasmine answered: “the cause of the problem is the arrival of foreign companies to Indonesia." Meanwhile, Mazaya and Abyan added that the cause is foreign companies purchasing land with water springs with a hefty price, thus the impoverished residents cannot reject their offer. Aisyah argued that the cause is the technological sophistication of foreign companies that can detect the location of abundant Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project| 99 P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 water resources. In the meantime, Arya believes that Indonesia is an easy target for them to subdue. Moreover, Ghiffar argued that the cause is the bribery practice to purchase water springs in Indonesia. The students also argued that Indonesians are on the losing side because of the water privatization projects. We are at risk of experiencing drought and difficult access to clean water. All the losses are the result of the water springs exploitation by foreign companies, which happen massively, resulting in economic and ecological impact. In addition to answering several questions, the students could illustrate the issue of water privatization with interesting and witty pictures. As in the picture below: Figure 1. Critical Illustrative Pictures of Water Privatization In the figure 1, we can see that the primary school students are able to understand the flow of the water privatization projects and find the critical dimension. As in the picture made by Mazaya and Kayisa, they can draw illustrations well. Moreover, they can draw in detail about the chronology of the massive water privatization project. Starting from the foreign companies entering Indonesia, the ability to detect the center of the springs, the transaction of selling and purchasing the lands, till the establishment of the factories where they ignored the protests of the surrounding residents. Interestingly, in both pictures, there are critical literacy dimensions namely in “the power of money” editorial. It is impressive that primary school students could give a critical view about the power of money, which includes the ability to afford anything, even the law/justice. Moreover, the figure illustrates the silencing of residents, who organized a protest, by bringing up the “shut up” editorial. Furthermore, Nadine’s illustrative picture describes the situation that will occur if the water privatization projects continue. The absence of water springs, drought, water contamination, and the increase of water price so high that the community could not buy it. Critical literacy is not merely an expression of protest. It gives hope, solutions and emancipation. After the students critically discovered the causality of the water privatization issue, critical thinking and awareness will cause anxiety if a problematic situation did not change. Then, critical thinking and awareness have stimulated the hope of a better state with 100 | Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 its various alternative solutions to solve problems. To represent the hope, solution, and emancipation of the students, the researchers assigned them to produce a critical argumentative text with pictures. At this stage, the students are instructed to write down an argumentative text with images of products from the competitors of bottled water made by the private or foreign companies. As for the competitor products, they are the students' creations. The purpose is to reduce the massive number of bottled water products owned by foreign companies. Moreover, there were many students who sell their products at a low price because they believe that water obtained from Indonesia should be affordable for Indonesians. These are the examples of the students' work: Figure 2. Students' Arguments Based on figure 2, some students were able to write down arguments that express their hope, promote justice, offer solutions and emancipate of the future life. For example, Ghiffar’s statement: “If Indonesia could beat the foreigners and Chinese, I'm going to sell water at a low price so there will not be drought in Indonesia. I hope many Indonesians can beat the foreigners and Chinese. Let’s save the water”. Based on Ghiffar's argument, there is resistance because of the “beat the foreigners and Chinese” editorial. It means there are resistance and desire to beat the foreigners because of the social conflict and loss experienced by the communities, which is the result of the water privatization. The goal is to take over the water source and sell water at a low price for Indonesians. In line with other students' hopes, Mazaya stated: “I hope the foreigners and Chinese go, and Indonesia take over the springs back.” We find that they hope Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project| 101 P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 the Indonesians would take over the ownership of the springs. Thus, there is an equal distribution of rights in utilizing the water source. Mazaya's argument is in line with the constitution, UUD 1945, Article 33 section ((3) which asserts: “... The land, water and, natural riches contained therein is controlled by the state and used for the utmost prosperity of the people...” (UUD 1945). The article protects the natural resource rights, which guarantees people’s rights to maintain and use natural resources. No one cannot eliminate the rights because they are inborn. Therefore, it is clear that water as a human need is a right, which must be met by the state as a form of recognition of the rights to live. (Harjanti, 2009). Other than the hope that Indonesians take over the springs for the Indonesians' interests. The students' arguments also represent justice. For example, Rajjan stated, “I want to sell affordable water for equality, to avoid protests, and to avoid foreign also Chinese products.” The statement is in line with one of the purposes of critical literacy, i.e. to promote justice, and support the fifth principle of Pancasila, “social justice for all Indonesian people.” Promoting justice is also part of moral intelligence, which the highest level of moral development is to have a strong belief of universal virtue. Discussion Referring to a few quotes from the students' analysis, we found that critical literacy is a learning method that facilitate students to test and criticizing social justice issues. Critical literacy is not a "piece of knowledge" given to the students, but a "culture of thinking" that involves the students observing their world in ways that make them think about the justice issues (Hadjiannou & Fu, 2007; Stribling, 2014). We can see that in the early stages of learning students can build critical discussions regarding the facts of injustice from the water privatization project, tudents are formed into agencies that investigate the problem reflectively. Literacy does not only mean reading words, but also reading the world as a place of human agency to make a change. In relation to this, the problem-posing education pioneered by Freire put critical literacy as a language power that leads human beings on the agenda of social change and life emancipation. The focus of critical literacy is to make the students involved in life problems they experienced or to raise their awareness about the multitude of phenomena that ignore humanitarian values. This process also creates opportunities in which the knowledge and phenomenon are observed in a way that is critical and uncommon (Freire, 2005; Okazaki, 2005; Simon, 1992). 102 | Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 This step is taken to develop the ability of critical reading in describing the unjust reality. According to (Anstey & Bull, 2006) stressed the dangers faced by the students, if the teachers did not teach them about critical reading because "they can be marginalized, discriminated against, or cannot act actively in the life relations; in short, the students will not control their social future." In line with the opinion of (Fathiara & Heru Muslim, 2015) , “there is a strong relation between reading as a hobby and critical thinking. Reading can build critical thinking skills because the students will be faced with some problems found after reading and listening to a story or information. By finding those problems, the students will analyze the problems which makes a critical student. Furthermore if we understand that critical analysis and illustrative pictures created by the primary school students are in line to some experts' opinions, such as Soron's: “water is a commodity, which is obviously tradable, exchangeable and profitable. The growth of global capitalism today has created a commodification of the items used by many people, such as seeds, genes, culture, health, education, even air and water (Soron & Laxer, 2019). Commodification leads to the private sector. They have the money and power, whereas the management of natural resources in Indonesia was originally centralized. But gradually it turned into liberal and uncontrolled which give the opportunity to the private sector and foreigners to take over (Arianti, 2004; Hadad, 2003; Nasution, 2009; Zen, 2008). After the private sector took over water management, of course, there is ecological and economic negative outcomes that affect the surrounding citizens. The interests of the private sector go against the community's rights to preserve and protect the ecology, social aspects, and culture through the water as a shared resource (McClinton & Christiana, 2016). Moreover, water privatization can lead to large-scale damage of natural resources. According to (Manar, 2009) “water scarcity, climate change and smog in metropolitan cities and industrial centers are evidence of the decline of the earth's capacity to automatically change the environment burden due to human activities. Based on all the analytical answers and the experts' opinion, we can conclude that the water privatization and exploitation should be criticized in an educational way, such as critical literacy education. All the arguments and illustrative pictures presented prove that primary school students can analyze the core problems of water privatization and associate them with the cause, impact, and injustice gimmick. Furthermore, the students were able to find the causality of “the power of money” as the cause of the massive water privatization. All the answers may arise from the students' minds because the learning process begins with the Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project| 103 P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 problematization process. The teachers and students put the water privatization issue as something that needs to be challenged. Both of them engaged in critical dialogues and played the roles of the subject who tried to emancipate human life from the ecological and economic dimensions. Related to this, critical literacy must highlight how the systematic construction of a text that affects its readers, as well as using a variety of resources to more productively redesign the social future and change the mindset (Simon, 1992). The reason for choosing the critical argumentative text is to develop the students' ability to produce a text, which convinces the reader about their analysis, criticism, expectations, and proposed solutions. The argumentative text contains the author's opinion or thoughts and is supported by supporting evidence of the problem. (Giyatmi et al., 2020). Several studies show that critical literacy or critical awareness is closely related to moral reasoning (Mustakova & Possardt, 1998; Siregar, 2018) and is an alternative means in finding the meaning of life (Yanda, 2018). Based on the students' critical literacy works, we can conclude that reproducing argumentative texts with images is considered suitable to help children of primary school age. According to (Freire, 1970) if the critical view has been embodied in acts, then an atmosphere full of hope and confidence will grow and demand human to try overcoming situations that limit their critical space. This is in line with (Hendriani & Nuryani, 2018), who argued that critical literacy can develop the emancipation desire of a positive change in the human socio- cultural situation. Emancipation desire triggers humans to rise as creators, agents, or actors who perform transformative social actions. Furthermore, critical literacy can develop the capacity to read, link the development of self-efficacy, scientific thinking, and the desire to make a positive social change. This is the core idea of critical literacy, which is reading words and the world (Cooper & White, 2008) .Those are the description of the research results about how critical literacy-based education can be applied in primary schools, with the aim of challenging the diverse phenomena of injustice in the utilization of natural resources, or the diverse phenomenon of the ecological imbalance, which affects the environment. CONCLUSION This study concludes that the problems of water privatization in Indonesia can be challenged through critical literacy education in elementary schools. This educational method can facilitate elementary school students to provide critical analysis of problem profiles, causes of problems, causality of problems with injustice, impact or consequences of problems, 104 | Critical Analysis of Elementary School Students on Water Privatization in Indonesia: A Critical Literacy Education Project P-ISSN: 2580-9326 E-ISSN: 2580-7714 PrimaryEdu : Journal of Elementary Education Volume 6, Number 2, September 2022 formulating expectations, criticisms and solutions to problems. The critical analysis of elementary school students on the problem of water privatization begins with the expression of their feelings of worry about drought, surprise at the natives who want to sell their land at a cheap price, angry and irritated with company owners, and concerned about the situation of water springs in Indonesia which are controlled by foreigners. The continuation of this expression then leads to the discovery of the core and causes of the problem of water privatization, the core problem of water privatization is that private companies carry out excessive exploitation, causing an environmental crisis for the surrounding community, in this section elementary school students are also able to find the causality of greedy human nature, short-sighted and easily bribed with the problems of the socio-ecological environment that occur, the evidence is when the argument appears "Indonesian people are easily subdued by the power of money". This study also concludes that elementary school students are able to produce critical arguments that are utopian and solution-oriented, these arguments include wanting to take over all Indonesian springs from private companies that are unfair to the community, they also argue that they want to establish a drinking water company that is cheap and free. for society. Given the huge potential of elementary school students in producing critical literacy works, it is possible that this research will continue to develop new themes. This study proves that critical literacy-based education is a good learning practice and can be applied at the elementary school level because it can help students think critically and act utopianly, besides that they are also able to uncover hidden facts behind environmental crises, angry at problematic situations, and of course. promote justice through literacy work. 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