Catholic schools: Indonesia’s models in character-building

Indonesia’s Minister Muhadjir Effendy on Aug 25, met with the Bishops to learn about character-building programe the Catholic schools have introduced, to apply in state-run schools as a part of efforts to tackle extremism.

Indonesia’s Education and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy who met with the bishops said that his encounter with them was to ask for suggestions on character building because Catholic educational institutions have contributed much to education in Indonesia.

The ministry is planning to strengthen character building, which stresses the values of religion, nationalism, interdependency, mutual cooperation and integrity  in at least 1,500 state-run elementary schools and junior high schools across the country.

He referred to Catholic schools organizing live-in programs, whereby Catholic students from big cities stay for a few days in the homes of people living in remote areas where there is no electricity or clean water so that they experience the hardships other people have to live with. "Live-in programs are very good to build interdependency and mutual cooperation," Effendy said.

Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo of Jakarta, the bishops’ conference chairman, said the program instills social and moral sensitivities in students. (UCAN)