Dictionary defines education as the “teaching of knowledge and skills”. However, original Latin meaning of education is “to draw out innate abilities”.

I personally think that mainstream schools (esp. in Jakarta) don’t have the willing to form education for their student. Schools merely a place to sit and listen about subjects that already designed by school to achieve “national plus” label or “international” label.

Let me show you guys what I think about mainstream school:

• Conventional methods commonly based upon confrontation and competition.
• Conventional left brain education aims to nurture intelligence by teaching knowledge only.
• Many schools with tests as the focal point, “forcing” student to achieve higher score than other children, even if only by one point.
• In general, the focus of today’s education remains on the reputation of the schools, which is determined by how many graduates go on to well-regarded secondary schools and university.
• Student nowadays attend long hours of school lessons (you guys must compare with Finlandà 3 consecutive times chosen as the no 1 in the world, but their student attend school less than “normal” school time)
• And the whole point of education nowadays is only to pass exam, and continue to “the best” school
• Schools nowadays emphasize overt progress in academic ability and talent, while a child’s mind is ignored.

And for that, parent often fall into the dangerous trap of viewing elementary school as mere step in the way to the middle school, or a middle school as the step on the way to high school. Parent often view that passing the entrance examinations as the ultimate goal, rather than the comprehensive future of our child. Making many of us end up raising a child based on this “scholastic ability-centered” point of view.

What I want my child experience about education:

• An education that not only focus on academic achievement alone.
• A place where learning is based on love, a sense of one-ness and cooperation.
• Through education, parents and teachers have responsibility to extract the vast potential capabilities all children are born with and develop them to the fullest extent.
• Education that focus on raising a good human being, someone who can contribute to the society.
• A school that sees entrance exams are necessary steps for children’s growth and progress, but still passing them should not be the ultimate goal of education.
• Education that nurture the individuality of each child and activate the unlimited innate abilities lying dormant in all human beings.
• I want to see an education implemented where children can perform well in the areas they excel at.
• Education should encourage children to pursue what they love so that when they grow up they can contribute to society in those particular areas.
• Education should focus on long-term future, not the immediate one.
• Education should nurture children’s individuality, mind, humanity, sensibility and creativity.
• A want to pursue an education that  values each individual’s “will”

Do you see how desctructive schools can be to our children?