A researcher from Center for Pancasila Studies (PSP) UGM, Surono, said that currently there has been inconsistency in the process of internalizing Pancasila values on children. The values of Pancasila are taught half-heartedly and without ideals. Instilling values of Pancasila is still in the level of cognition and is not fully able to touch the affective and psychomotor level.
From the result of a study entitled "The internalization of Pancasila values on Children with Early Childhood Education: A Case Study of Non-Formal Early Childhood Education in Yogyakarta" conducted by Surono, it is known that most of the patterns of early childhood education still focus on efforts to develop cognitive intelligence. This is influenced by many factors, one of which is the factor of human resources quality, in this case is the teacher. "In teaching and learning activities, teachers are likely to act as they pleased only to fulfill obligations. We can’t blame them because they are paid only 5,000 rupiah in each meeting. The next question is for building nation's character which is only worth 5,000 rupiah," Surono said on Friday (3/2) in the Center’s office.
Surono mentioned one case was found in a non-formal Early Childhood Education which was making efforts to internalize values of religiosity. When one of teachers led the prayers, at the same time other teachers were busy with their activities. "Things like this clearly shows a contradiction. On the one hand, teachers want to instill the values of religiosity, but on the other hand there is no "ideal" that can strengthen and reassure the children that praying is an attempt to ask God the Creator of the earth, so it should be done with humility'. Children are taught to be well-behaved and solemn in prayer, but the teachers and staff indicate precisely the opposite attitude," he explained.
Seeing this condition, Surono urged society and governments to be more serious in non-formal early childhood education, because this institution has a very strategic position in the character building of the Indonesian nation. Moreover, children from various social, economic, and cultural backgrounds gather in the institution. The position of early childhood education in the effort to internalize the values of Pancasila is very strategic. Moreover, by looking at data from Directorate of Early Childhood Education in 2009 that during the last seven years the development of Raw Participation Number of early childhood education in Indonesia reached 15.3 million or 53.6%.
Surono said that in the future critical evaluation of the vision, mission, and cornerstones of early childhood education policies in Indonesia is needed in order that early childhood education can achieve national education goals. Besides, to design early childhood education as a foundation of education for all is needed, to make additional material related to Pancasila values and nationality and to improve the quality to equalize perception of human resources at early childhood education.