Monday, June 13, 2011

Jujur

Being honest (jujur) is not easy in Indonesia, especially in Kampung Gadel, Surabaya. Mrs Siami, the mother of Al, student of an elementary school in that Kampung, filed a complain at the police that there was a systematic cheating at her son's school. Al was asked to give answers to other students by his teacher(s).

Indonesia was surprised by the reaction of her neighbors, who not only condemned her but also managed to get Mrs Siami and her family moved from the area to Gresik.

Solidarity in that neighborhood means the cleverest student must give the answers to other students so that all of the students can graduated and that act is also seen as a form of paying his due to the teacher who asked him to do that. Solidarity also means that the headmaster who approved the systematic cheating shouldnt get any sanction for his act. Why? Because practically everyone in the neighborhood was taught at some point by the headmaster.

Mrs Siami was a new comer in the neighborhood. She holds a different set of values. Therefore she and her family are now an outcast in the area.

It's outrageous that we are now condemning honesty and supporting dishonesty. It's outrageous that we are now teaching our kids to cheat. It's outrageous that we let our kids down by not believing & supporting them to be the best that they can be.

5 comments:

colson said...

I'm sorry for mrs Siami and her son.

The story is the world upside down. The heroine is being victimized. The community of culprits is suffering from severe group-think.

It's not solidarity at all. Just a perverse interpretation of the concept. It's rather a version of suffocating social control.

It is hard to believe they can get away with it.

pj said...

Considering how the costs of education keeps going up up up one would expect some measure of integrity on behalf of the school. How will these kids be prepared for a future in which they must be able to compete?

triesti said...

@colson, pj the story is getting weirder as minister of education didnt think it's a big deal. He said a re-sit can be done. Seriously? Like you said PJ, they are not preparing the kids for their future, they are only concern with saving their ass by having as many kids graduated no matter what.

Aprianti said...

Hi Triesti,

MPR is going to grant Siami a title of "Ibu Kejujuran", maybe after seeing the growing support for her and family, including on the social networking. I hope it is not only a kind gesture, but they really can learn something from her.

triesti said...

@aprianti So she gets a title. good on her. Like you've said, a lot of people can learn from her, and that's the most important thing. Integrity is lacking in this country at all levels.