The Pancasila
The fact that Indonesia, as a new nation, had to create a unifying national identity for a diverse population was also reflected within the education system. Schools became a medium of transmitting national identity to new citizens. The core curriculum included teaching the new national language and the principles of the pancasila, or national philosophy, which are the belief in a supreme God, national unity, humanitarianism, democracy, and social justice (Frederick & Worden, 2011, p. 260).
Democracy One supreme God National Unity
Humanitarianism Social Justice
(Wikimedia Commons, 2008)
While the nation was established under the ideal of “Unity in Diversity” (Frederick & Worden, 2011, p. 15), up until the end of the 20th century it has mainly been focused on creating unity. At the turn of the century, however, Indonesia began the process of decentralizing the government, which has included shifting education administration to the regional level (Duncan, 2007). Now the nation is exploring means of expressing and including diversity within a unified state.
