Who Is Elementary School For? (Bilingual)

Pelajaran membaca. | Reading lesson.

Salma dan Zahra adalah anak kelas satu sekolah dasar (SD) di Bandung, Jawa Barat, Indonesia. Tapi, sayangnya, mereka kurang bahagia di sekolah. Mereka sering diolok-olok oleh teman-teman mereka, dan dibentak oleh guru mereka, karena mereka belum bisa membaca. Jadi, guru memanggil orang tua mereka. Guru berkata bahwa mereka harus segera bisa membaca. "Jika anak Anda tidak bisa membaca, maka anak Anda tidak akan naik ke kelas dua," kata sang guru.

Salma and Zahra are first graders of elementary school (SD) in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. But, alas, they are less happy in school. They are often insulted by their friends, and barked by their teachers, because they can not read yet. So, the teachers call their parents. The teacher said that they should be able to read immediately. "If your child can not read, then your child will not go up to second grade," the teacher said.

Orangtua Salma dan Zahra bersedih. Lalu mereka mencari seseorang yang bisa mengajar membaca kepada anak-anak mereka. Untunglah ada seorang ibu yang mau mengajar membaca bagi anak-anak mereka. Namanya Ibu Umayah, tetangga mereka. Maka, setiap Senin dan Kamis, setelah pulang dari sekolah, Salma dan Zahra belajar membaca di rumah Ibu Umayah.

Salma and Zahra's parents are sad. Then they are looking for someone who can teach reading to their children. Fortunately there is a mother who wants to teach reading for their children. Her name is Mrs. Umayah, their neighbor. So, every Monday and Thursday, after coming home from school, Salma and Zahra learn to read at Mrs. Umayah's house.

Ibu Umayah sedang mengajar Salma dan Zahra. | Mrs. Umayah is teaching Salma and Zahra.

Salma dan Zahra sangat senang. Secara bertahap, mereka bisa membaca kata demi kata. Mereka semakin semangat, karena setiap berhasil membaca suatu kata, mereka dipuji Ibu Umayah. "Semoga kalian jadi manusia yang sukses," kata Ibu Umayah setelah memuji mereka.

Salma and Zahra are very happy. Gradually, they can read word for word. They are more enthusiastic, because every successful reading a word, they are praised by Mrs. Umayah. "May you be a successful man," said Mrs. Umayah after praising them.

Dari kisah nyata itu, saya tidak mengerti tentang sistem pendidikan di Indonesia saat ini, khususnya di daerah saya. Dulu, ketika saya masih kecil, saya mendapatkan pemahaman bahwa sekolah dasar adalah tempat belajar hal-hal yang mendasar. Membaca, menulis, dan berhitung (calistung) adalah sebagian dari hal yang mendasar itu. Tapi mengapa kini anak-anak harus bisa membaca, menulis dan berhitung sebelum mereka masuk ke sekolah dasar?

From the real story, I do not understand about the current education system in Indonesia, especially in my area. In the past, when I was a kid, I came to understand that primary school is a place to learn basic things. Reading, writing, and counting (calistung) are some of the basic things. But why now children should be able to read, write and count before they go to elementary school?

Mengapa sekarang anak-anak harus bisa membaca, menulis dan berhitung ketika mereka duduk di taman kanak-kanak (TK)? Jadi apa tugas utama guru kelas satu di sekolah dasar? Jika pengalaman Salma dan Zahra terus diulang oleh anak-anak setelah mereka, saya pikir nama sekolah dasar tidak lagi relevan. Pemerintah harus mencari nama yang tepat untuk sekolah dasar yang sekarang tidak bertanggung jawab atas hal-hal dasar seperti calistung.

Why now children should be able to read, write and count when they sit in kindergarten (TK)? So what is the primary task of first-grade teachers in elementary school? If Salma and Zahra's experience continues to be repeated by the children after them, I think the name of the elementary school is no longer relevant. The government should find the right name for the elementary school that is now irresponsible on the basic things like calistung.