The Interview

This is my interview with Mr. Usep Serudi:

• What is character of education?

Education is the process to help the youth to be a whole and undivided.Full of meaning in all aspects of human life as, cognitive ( intellect ) social, all morality, emotions, affection, an aesthetic, his religiousness personality, and also physically.All the aspects that in education should be developed.Character education is helping to develop the personality, sosialitas, all morality, emotions, affection, an aesthetic, religiousness needed in private life, social, and work.

• Can you tell me about how the history of character of education?

Actually former times education always include a character education.For example, teachers in teaches mathematics also instill enthusiasm fighting, power teaching students respect to the other train students doing math by honesty and eteceraBut lately perceptible that of formal education too stressed the perspective of cognitive course, just looking for an index cumulative achievement ( ipk ) and qualifications, so that the exclusion of pendididikan value.One of the signs of education worth or character less materialize is due to the practice of the fight corruption, free sex, drugs and lack of resources fighting, which recently are a real stand-out.Hence, became of importance stressed back a character education.

• Instead of in both pancasila education and citizenship ( public schools ) and religion also was taught character education?

Indeed character education can be taught through public schools and religion teachers, but not just passing of two lessons above.Even if just passing public schools and the religions, other teachers that they would not come with responsible in developing a character education.Public schools and religious education by students instead often considered a lesson by-product and less valued.Then education character supposed to be taught and help with  all through teaching start from a lesson sports, art, up to physics.In this way all teachers took part in the responsible help students in developing the character.

• Why character education is the important thing for the education system now in indonesia ?

Character education in the days of this is getting essential and urgent because some situation faced by this generation.For example, the influence of globalization who offers; in addition to a good thing also value that is not as good as: consumerism, free sex, drugs lust humane online by forgetting believes life and spiritual.Deterioration character national we; a conflict antarsuku, religion, race, the interests of groups.The free market that causes only the high quality and strong able to win while the weak and low quality will die.Employment opportunities that became more narrow, the problem of living a more complex, and in need of the spirit and power in this lifetime.Social awareness people who gets less and development of individualism that the higher in the days of this.

•   And then, where character of education taught ideally?

Ideal character education teaching and assisted synergistically with all a lesson, school, the old man, the media, and the public.Without cooperation with all stakeholders was it will be hard work, character education even a failure.

• What kind of the implications in school?

For example, we want to emphasize the value of honesty so that corruption can be further reduced. The atmosphere of the school including the school's rules should also emphasize this, honesty is not just teachers through lesson. If any employee or teacher corruption must also be dealt with, not just students.

• What about the role of parents in this case?

Parents be educators character first and foremost for students .Hence the value of character which want to emphasis on school , need to be communicated with parents so there is cooperation .For example , the school emphasizes the value of the award to another person without discrimination .Parents also invited to infuse this value to his son .Then if their children in the discriminatory , need to be reminded .If schools imparts value for an anti-drug , and parents must also understand that and help for an anti-drug at home to the atmosphere , instead parents not teaching children become sacau.

• What about the community  and media ?

Educator community is also important .If the school emphasizes character education , but did not support the broad community , then education to be heavy or even will fail .For example , the school emphasizes the value of the brotherhood as indonesian citizens , but if in the community always seen tribal conflict and kill each other , children develop the union will be difficult .Especially the high officials , representatives , need to help in the enforcement of this value .They must be an example .Here a lot about happened , assisted by good students in school , but because the community is still ugly , children and then imitate the ugly . And Publication or the media is very important in a character education .Tv show whose contents weaken the value of education , will impede embeded the character of focus .For example , school was always taught the importance of hard work in this life and responsibilities .If every day the son saw a tv show where without hard work , people had and the hard work instead of failed to live , children will be tempted not to want to try .In the school educated antisex free , but on tv and media , always show parents doing free sex or pornographic pictures , will make students difficult .

• What barriers faced in applying character education ?

There are many obstacles that happened to be facing if we want to infuse character education .The main obstacles is a character education just stop on the theory , and not to in practice and habit of living .For example , only teach honesty , but there are no rules or their implementation in school .Then , not all the schools involved .Teachers , the head of school , the foundation , and employees of the entire school not to engage in character education .Parents are and instead join other parents teach the value of .The community and leadership of people who live in opposition to the value of the character of focus .For example , taught school in concord and brotherhood , but in the community leaders fight and kill each other .

• Whether character education support development or progress of the nations?

The progress of the indonesian nation depends a lot and very complex .A lot of elements affecting like the character of his men , people think inteligensi and excellence , their synergies leaders and residents in the face of the nation problems , and obeyed the rules of legal right , willingness to help each other for the interests of residents of a whole , the country wealth management , and others .Character is one of the perspective of education who helped the development of , but could not be alone .And then in all facets of education need attention .But , a character education can be profound for the perspective of another , due to the spirit , the heart , and the attitude of someone living .

• What the characters are important for these people?

In the context of national character indonesia i think there are really the contents of a number who need to get pressures so that this people to be better and developing and industrialized.The first is the award to men other persons, human rights ( ham ) so that people willing to living together and work together despite different from faith race, tribe, as well as the relative economy.The second is responsibility to our nation.This is essential if this country were still going to retained as unity.Third the value of democracy that emphasizes nondiskriminasi spirit and nonopresif.And the fourth honesty, thus reducing the problem of corruption in various facets of reality.Fifth, kekritisan in receive information and influence globalizationSixth, fighting resources in life so that is not easily desperate if there are problems and the challenge.And finally, morality a high including the provision for an anti-drug, is free anti-sex, and anti-consumerism.