More Religion, Less Science for Indonesian Students

[rug]

By Mong Palatino
August 21, 2013

Indonesia has recently pilot tested a new curriculum in over 6,000 schools which instantly drew controversy after it removed science, English, social sciences, and information technology (IT) as separate subjects in favor of Bahasa Indonesia, nationalism and religious studies.

The reduction of subject load is meant to give students more time to attend other educational activities. At the primary level, subjects were reduced from eleven to six. Meanwhile, junior high school students are now only taking ten courses instead of twelve.

It’s quite puzzling why Indonesia would de-prioritize science and IT at a time when it is aiming to improve the skills of its young workforce to sustain its modernizing economy. There is probably wisdom in having fewer subjects – this could enhance the learning experience of students. But to drop science from the curriculum at the primary level seems unwise.

Instead of receiving more science education, Indonesian students were given two additional hours of religious studies courses. Indonesia’s Education and Culture Minister Mohammad Nuh said that this is intended to fight terrorism.

http://thediplomat.com/asean-beat/2013/08/21/more-religion-less-science-for-indonesian-students/

[longship]

1. Yup! That will do it. Fight terrorism, that is.

Unless one does something to malign the profit, like draw a picture of him. Or write a novel about religion. Or advocate that maybe women shouldn't be forced to live their lives wearing big cloth bags.

Hitchens was right. Religion poisons everything.

When religion and government intermix, this is what always happens.

[rug]

2. Apparently Indonesia, like the UK, publicly funds religious education.

That and his conclusion aside, he may have a point. This is his quote from the article:

“Terrorism is not triggered by long hours of lessons on religion,” he argued. “The growing acts of terrorism were basically due to incomplete religious education. Therefore, we need to add more hours for religious subjects.”

To paraphrase Hitchens, Ignorance poisons everything.

[longship]

3. Hitchens would have undoubtedly have agreed with you .

As would Dawkins, Harris, Dennett, and Stenger, all who had some sort of a religious upbringing. As did I, albeit a very liberal one.

One cannot criticize religion if one is ignorant of it.

Well played, my friend.

[Promethean]

4. They would agree with the point

and then note that they are not mutually exclusive and that in fact an argument can be made that religion itself is a form of ignorance.