Jakarta (ANTARA) - Pancasila should serve as a guideline for policy formulation and public services by the state civil apparatus (ASN) for Indonesia to become a superior nation, Heri Hermawan stated.

"In line with the concept of the main value of ASN having morals, the transformation of this concept into Pancasila aims to ensure that ASN make Pancasila a guideline in every policy formulation and service to the community," Director of Standardization and Curriculum for Education and Training of the Agency for Pancasila Ideology Education (BPIP) Hermawan remarked.

The statement was delivered during a webinar titled "Developing Superior National Character and Instilling moral values of ASN" in Jakarta, Thursday.

Quoting academic and Public Policy Expert Riant Nugroho, Hermawan noted that a superior nation can only be born if the state has superior policies as well.

"A superior nation can only be born if this country has superior policies," he affirmed.

Hence, Hermawan views that the superiority of a policy can only be raised when the policy maker, in this case the ASN, has strong basic guidelines, such as Pancasila.

Hermawan believes that the ASN should make Pancasila as the main capital in formulating superior policies, especially related to national development.

During the webinar organized by the Human Resources Development Agency of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Hermawan appealed to all Indonesians to always bear in mind that Pancasila, as a common principle, should be the main reference in the life of the nation and state.

According to Hermawan, the main reference translates to the fact that the noble values of Pancasila must be implemented in every sphere of life of Indonesian society from time to time.

Hence, he pointed out that the issue of the noble values of Pancasila fading in the lives of Indonesians in recent times could be resolved.

The Agency for Pancasila Ideology Education (BPIP) had earlier submitted 15 textbooks on Pancasila to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in the hopes of being incorporated into Indonesia's school and university curricular, the agency's head stated.

"The proposed textbooks have been in the hands of Mr President for approval," Yudian Wahyudi stated in Meulaboh, the capital of West Aceh District, Aceh Province, on Sunday.

The textbooks would later be used as one of the references for civic education that is compulsory for Indonesians in early childhood education, kindergarten, elementary, secondary, and university levels.

However, Wahyudi steered clear from divulging details on the titles of the 15 proposed text books, though in its place noted that the BPIP was awaiting the president's approval for their use in schools and universities.

The use of textbooks on Pancasila will be stipulated in Government Regulation No. 57 of 2021 on changes in the National Education Standard, he noted, adding that the regulation would be signed by the president.

Translator: Tri Meilani, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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