"The Merdeka Curriculum promotes the spirit of simplicity, flexibility, and contextuality, which must be implemented optimally to ensure our pupils grow to their potential and realize our national education goals. Hence, we need extraordinary teachers," Director of Principals, School Superintendents, and Education Officers at the ministry, Praptono, said at a webinar on Wednesday.
The five qualities that teachers must focus on developing are independence, orientation to pupils, habituation to reflective culture, capability to innovate, and mental, moral, and spiritual maturity, he expounded.
Those qualities would ensure that the teachers perform their duty according to their professional and ethical responsibility, he said.
An independent teacher is a teacher who is self-aware and has the responsibility to study, he said.
Teachers must also orientate themselves to students by ensuring their students' readiness, interest, and needs during class activities, he added.
"We also want Indonesian teachers to get habituated to a reflective culture. We must plan, implement, and evaluate (our programs). We must reflect on whether (our activities) have been successful or not. If teachers experience challenges or obstacles, discuss the matter with fellow teachers to seek solutions," Praptono said.
Indonesian teachers must continually innovate for their schools by collaborating with parents, the principal, and other school officials, he added.
Though the five qualities will not be easy to develop, he underlined that high hopes, collaboration, and the willingness to work hard could motivate Indonesian teachers to inculcate the qualities.
Teachers could also improve themselves by utilizing various features available on the Merdeka Belajar platform and participating in study communities to study together, he added.
"Study communities within a school unit, study communities among school units, and even online study communities must be encouraged and developed," Praptono said.
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Translator: Suci Nurhaliza, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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