Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Ministry of Education and Culture launched a program in Jakarta on Wednesday to inculcate values of Pancasila, the five fundamental principles of Indonesia, to serve as a vehicle for character development in the nation.

"After we evaluate, the subject of Pancasila moral education with citizenship is not focused particularly on matters of deep understanding of the Pancasila," Minister of Education and Culture Muhadjir Effendy remarked.

With a separate emphasis on Pancasila education and citizenship, Pancasila education will truly be able to inculcate values and prioritize character building. The program will begin during the new school year, and the Ministry of Education and Culture has prepared the module.

For early childhood education until the second grade of junior high school, the emphasis is laid on applying Pancasila values directly and putting them more into practice. For the third grade of junior high school to high school, the emphasis is laid on knowledge.

Previously, Minister Effendy said the subject was laid a greater emphasis on the knowledge aspect than applying the values of Pancasila as part of character education.

"Hence, we changed this subject learning strategy. We launched this program, as it was quite urgent to implement," he reiterated.

The acting head of the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency, Hariyono, highlighted the urgency to inculcate the values of Pancasila among members of the younger generation.

"Our biggest loss is not the loss of economic wealth but the loss of the character of the nation. Hence, it is crucial to inculcate the values of Pancasila among them," Hariyono stated. Related news: Minister expressed concern over soldiers being exposed to radicalism

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Translator: Indriani, Eliswan Azly
Editor: Azizah Fitriyanti
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