Perché farlo adesso ?
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Pepatah yg tepat mungkin: gali lobang tutup lobang. Kisah klasik benua kangguru yg selalu dihantui mimpi buruk laten bahwa suatu ketika tetangga raksasa [ RI ] jahat dari Utara akan datang meng-invasi.
Pendidikan Asia [ Asian Studies ] dulunya, pertengahan dan akhir 90-an, sempet gencar dan digalakkan di sekolah2 lokal merata ke berbagai strata mulai dari highschool hingga uni. Pemerintahan berganti, begitupun kebijakan.
Pemerintah Liberal mulai fokus terhadap issue2 regional dan kepraktisan.
Kita di RI belajar bhs asing ( de facto-nya cuma bhs Inggris ) mati-matian sedari dini, keluarga maksa dan mendorong ikut les segala macem; sekolah internasional dipandang bak institut elit - tapi hasilnya mungkin masih jauh dari memuaskan. Tau sendiri, kdg banyak anak kampung yg meng-hassle bule-bule dg "hello mister, how are you", tersipu atau/lalu kabur. Atao berfoto dg bule dianggap prestige yg layak dibingkai di dinding ruang tengah. Pandangan gue, Anglophones menentukan pilihan bhs asing mereka berdasarkan kebutuhan individual pribadi, bukan ikut arus [ lagipula emang ada arus trend bhs, semua bhs dunia kalah status dg bhs Inggris, kan ] apalagi dg alasan "terpaksa".
Jpn, yg dulunya dianggap momok bejat kala perang dunia 2, skrg menjadi partner dagang terbesar AUS. Efeknya: Japanese Studies menjadi sgt populer dan merambah hingga ke pelosok2 australia. Banyak beasiswa dan pertukaran akademis diluncurkan oleh kedua pemerintah. Gue sendiri kdg liat atao denger Australians yg fasih berbahasa Jepun plus lengkep dg atribut body language dan etiket sosial Jpn yg strict itu, wu hu hu ... mencengangkan loh denger buleh ber-bhs Asia. Jgn lupakah faktor banyak juga anak muda di sini yg berangkat dan tinggal bertaon2 di Jpn awalnya tertarik working holiday, atao ngajar bhs Inggris, berpenghasilan lumayan besar ( recompensed in mighty Yen, baby ooh doncha worry! *lol ) dan tinggal bertaon2 di sana.
Mandarin kini mulai populer walopun bisa dibilang masih langka di kalangan bule. Hari Selasa kls italian gue di TAFE, kelas sebelah Chinese Mandarin penuh dg students ABC (Australian born Chinese) yg hendak re-kindle warisan kebudayaan keluarga mereka. Tapi ada satu young blonde thing sticks out. Di lift, ditanya2 oleh classmates-nya dia menjelaskan, ooh I went on a intensive language trip in Beijing last year, oo God I knew very little but it went really well, I started talking and grasping the language because it was just so full on, I had to speak Mandarin 24/7.
Bahasa RI, sempet menanjak tapi kini cuma tenggelam. Funding di uni berkurang krn jumlah student Indonesian Studies yg sgt sedikit, bahkan taon lalu UNSW dan Sydney Uni harus bergabung jadi satu kelas sajah sebab students-nya yg ngga sampe seitungan jari-jari satu tangan. Di TAFE (sekolah vocational) seringkali level advanced kelas Indonesia dihapuskan, tanpa peminat kelas akan dibatalkan. Belum lagi, saat ini institut uni di sini menghadapi krisis tenaga ahli Indonesia yg pada ujungnya dianggap merugikan strategis regional dan pertahanan negara ini.
Gue sendiri ngga tau gimana cara menarik minat students lokal untuk mengambil atao menekuni Indonesian Studies. Disuguhin gado-gado, tahu sumedang, rujak gejrot, pecel lele, sate padang, nasi goreng tok-tok, bubur ketan item ? Yg ada bikin gue laper euy. LOL
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Pact makes Asian studies a priority for all schools
ASIAN studies have been elevated to a national priority in schools alongside literacy and numeracy, following a landmark agreement between the federal and state governments on educating Australian children for an Asian future.
As the Prime Minister, John Howard, attends the inaugural East Asia Summit, the first national strategy on Asia knowledge sets out what all Australian students should know about the region before they leave school, similar to benchmarks set for other core curriculum areas.
The new push for Asia-literacy recognises that Australia's existing knowledge base is inadequate to support substantial economic engagement with Asia or to deal with complex security issues, such as regional terrorism.
"A deeper understanding of the ideas and values underpinning Asian societies will make it easier for Australians to deal with future economic, strategic or political tensions with the region", the new strategy says.
A 2002 study found only half of Australia's schools taught Asian culture, history or language in any depth, 25 per cent taught at a superficial level only and the remaining schools taught no Asian content at all. Even the efficacy of existing Asian studies was challenged; more than half of Australia's 13-14 year olds could not find our nearest neighbour, Indonesia, on a map.
In universities, the study of Asian languages has plummeted to three per cent of students, falling dramatically short of even a modest target of 10 per cent set for 2000.
"We have to consider the skills and knowledge our children will need to live and work in their world, and there is no question Asia will be central to their future," said Kathe Kirby , executive director of Asialink at the University of Melbourne. "Yet our schooling to date is Eurocentric."
A joint statement from the Federal and state education ministers said: "Educating Australians for a world in which the Asian region plays a major role requires a substantial response by Australia's education jurisdictions and schools".
"Australia's future economic strength requires Australians to be knowledgeable and confident in relationships with the people of Asia".
All Australian students should be able to explain the term "Asia", have some understanding of the diversity of people, cultures and belief systems in the region and to understand Asia's economic and strategic importance for Australia. That includes speaking "with respect and knowledge about Islam", Indonesia and Malaysia's majority religion. Students should also "increasingly be able to communicate in one or more Asian language."
Philip Flood, former Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, said, "Education about Asia deserves no less emphasis and funding than we have given in recent years to improving our security infrastructure."