Including Character in the Process of Education

 by 
Sapta Abimanyu, S.Pd.


Education is one need that cannot be separated from human beings. It allows them to put society in order. Through the knowledge possessed by every single individual, the system of economy, laws, and social grows following the dynamic needs in society.
Apparently, what happened in the status quo recently doesn’t really describe the use of education. Contemporary problems like terrorism, crimes, and violence spread massively all over the world. This is because the process of education itself only filled mostly by increasing ability to achieve certain levels of intelligence and tends to neglect the other goal of education namely character.
Character is as essential as intelligence in education. It helps individual to have positive personal attitude and skill. It brings moral values that at the end support the existence of the social system as well. Without this one, people will misuse their intelligences and the aforementioned problems above can never be eradicated.
One of the ways to make intelligence and character as the goals of education attained is by including both goals in one concept known as character education. It is now trending in many countries as they face the same problems. Indonesia as one of the countries with the biggest possibility of getting the problems has been applying this concept.
The concept of character education in Indonesia is actually prompted  before millennium. The subject of Pendidikan Moral Pancasila (PMP) could at least guide people not only to be clever but also to treat others with respect. Yet, it seemed inadequate since it was only specific subject that taught students to own the good character, whereas in other subjects, the students were still spoon-fed that intelligence is the primary need. It was proven by the method use in the past time of education in Indonesia, in which students should only think intensively but not critically. Meanwhile, the only way to inject comprehensive good character to learners is by liberate their way of thinking at any discipline so that knowledge will not only see as a naïve entity and problems can efficiently be solved since by cooperation.
Fortunately, in recent educational concept in Indonesia, students are given a very wide opportunity to use their critical thoughts. In the recent curriculum, teacher’s role as a spoon-feeder is decreased since the teaching-learning processes are mostly student-oriented. It is a very good way for students. By having this freedom, students can freely express their ideas that at the end will help teachers to know their potentials. When the potentials are obviously seen, it will be easier to segment them to particular position that will balance the social system as well as prevent negative possibilities of intelligence use. Besides, the eradication of Ujian Nasional  (UN) brings positive impact to the students and society in general. As we know that when UN was applied, students tried any endeavor, either positive or negative to pass the standard score. Through the new policy, the cheating tradition can significantly be decreased or even erased. Further, we can all realize that score which is said to prove intelligence is not the only means to measure someone. This is in accordance with the goals of education.
There is only one thing that we can do to perfect the integration of intelligence and character in education. There should be multi-stakeholders engagement in controlling the learners’ behavior. Parents, as the one who have the closest relationship with the students, can actively control their children. Controlling is not limiting and liberating cannot simply be defined as neglecting. With this, hopefully students can get maximum benefit of character education and the cases between parents and teachers happening recently will not ever be repeated.
In conclusion, character and intelligence should co-exist in education. It is not only will help students as individuals in developing their potentials, but it also will create a peaceful world.