SCCCE Study Trip to Indonesia

 

The SCCCE embarked on a trip to Indonesia from 28 July to 3 August, marking the first in a series of trips to Asia aimed at learning from and connecting with academics, organizations, and schools engaged in character and citizenship education (CCE). The warm hospitality of the Indonesia Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (MoECRT) was deeply appreciated, as it facilitated visits to five schools, three organizations, and two universities across three cities—Jakarta, Bandung, and Yogyakarta.

Under the office of the Director General of Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, and Secondary Education from MoECRT, led by Dr. Iwan Syahril, the SCCCE gained insight into the CCE landscape within the context of the new Merdeka Belajar curricula reform. This exploration included perspectives from public, private, and religious schools, as well as interactions with the Centre for Curriculum and Instruction, the Centre for Educational Study and Policy (PSPK), and the JABAR MASAGI—a character education movement in West Java that integrates local cultural wisdom. Additionally, the SCCCE connected with academics and lecturers from Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia in Bandung and Universitas Sanata Dharma in Yogyakarta to gain valuable insights into research areas and teacher professional development efforts aimed at advancing CCE.

Shared post-colonial histories, multiculturalism, and the quest for unity in diversity form common ground with their Indonesian counterparts. By adopting more intentional approaches that consider culture, context, and a systemic perspective on CCE, there is potential to build a more cohesive social compact, as exemplified by the ‘Gotong Royong’ spirit.