Concerning Educational Discipline in Indonesia

By M. Faisal Javier Anwar

(source: Pixabay)

Learning activities in Indonesia, which usually take place in school, recently should be conducted in online learning because of Covid-19 pandemic. Several criticisms come from student parents regarding the effectiveness of online learning. One thing that the author underlines and discusses further below is about the lack of students’ discipline including the misuse of gadgets, and the lack of punctuality and enthusiasm to attend online class.

Why does discipline matter in education? Citing Charlie Clarke’s speech, former Britain Education Secretary, education is not only about knowledge and skills, but also values. Values include respect, courtesy, and consideration, all of which are essential things needed to create civilized society.

The misuse of gadgets in online learning may seem insignificant. However, many a little make a mickle. It is worrying if parents let their kids do wrong things. Kids probably are going to think that what they do is not problematic, thus they keep doing that. They even can do anything arbitrarily, not restricted by rules, norms, and so forth, if no one watches and reminds them.

Thereby the role of student parents is fundamental in educational discipline. The apple never falls far from the tree, so that how kids behave reflects their parents’ behavior. Parents should teach their kids the discipline, not only by telling, but also showing. How can you expect your kids become good kids if you can not behave yourself, even just for once or twice, in front of them?

In school, teacher must do likewise. The discipline must be obligatory for both students and teachers, not the former only, because teachers substitute parents’ role in the school. If you are a teacher and you often come late to the class without obvious reason, you have to reconsider yourself, are you still deserved to be a teacher?

However, it is no longer a secret in Indonesia that education is more like a race. Many parents demand their kids to have impressive achievements, either academic or non-academic, because in this way only they can be proud of their children. They have their kids attend academic or non-academic courses on after-school time in order to meet their demand rather than spend quality time together to maintain and improve their relationship. In consequence, kids have a lot of pressure, and they will be stressed out. It obviously influences their behaviour, because good manner does not come out from poor state of mind. Being stressed out not only potentially reduces students’ discipline, but also triggers them to be aggressive.

Building and enforcing the discipline should involve all parties. It is not one-way interaction in which parents or teachers as the only one who could determine the rules.Students must be engaged in the process of making rules, guided by their parents or teachers. It also could be a way for students to learn how to exercise their rights.

It is inarguably that educational discipline is necessary because it is the foundation of civilized society. Having students become clever but ignoring the discipline means society are creating destructive monsters in the future. They would compete to be the best of the best with uncivilized ways because they do not know what values are. Therefore, discipline is not only students’ responsibility, but also parents’ and teachers’.