So there is an unwritten policy so called “Seven for All” in my school, particularly for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. Seven is the minimum score for all subjects at school. Yeah I know that is too good to be true. But somehow this is how they play the game. There is no answer distributed before the exam, all exam papers are still sealed and opened at classes just before the exam begin. There is neither text message containing keys nor any cheat detected. All is clean. All is cool. Then afterward the calculations for final scores are made. Then suddenly there is no 5 on the report book, not even 6. All pass with flying colors. Fantastic! Fantastically corrupt!  

Believe me, calculating score is tricky, trickier than being an adjudicator. You should be practically able to evaluate a kid’s progress for a semester based on his/her performance of left brain without considering what is his/her favorite subject because they gotta eat ‘em all anyway, adding some plus points based on their activeness and behavior at class, giving remedial and piles of assignments just to raise a point or two legally. Subjectivity has no room here. However, as a matter of fact it is not easy to shift your good thought about a nice kid and easily give him/her higher mark than a mere brat who is actually just being too active in class. They all deserve the same objectivity.   So this seven for all policy is a big huge non sense for me. It is a moral degradation to its root. In my opinion, there are a lot of damages that might be resulted by this policy. First, the students. They will think that no matter how lazy I am, I will get at least seven anyway in my report card. Why bother to study harder? They will think that all schools in entire Indonesia will do the same because this is only what they know. What if they apply to go outside this village? Go outside Sumatera Island? Even go outside Indonesia? They will be broken down and gasping. But then it might be too late. Second, the parents. They always see good marks all around report book pages but when their children pursue to higher education, they got to be shocked knowing that their kids might not know that much. Parents have been deceived with what they see.   

Third, the teachers. What a shame. When I examine my students’ exam scores, I somehow assessing myself too, did I make the exam too hard? Did I teach well? Did my classes understand what am I talking about? By generalizing all scores to 7 for 4th, 5th and 6th grade means that we teachers are not necessary to squeeze out our brains and think every single creative ways to make our students understand well. Sad. If indeed there is such policy legally, then as a former law student, an advocate and as a teacher myself, it is such a frikkin’ stupid policy.   

Fourth, the Service of Education in the District. Having good reports from all schools in our district put the Service of Education lull to sleep. The bureaucrats in education field will think that everything is O-Kay! Again, all is good, all is cool. Education level in our districts (based on that reports) is increasing, our people are smart-a*s. Then there goes the report to the District Head. Your Excellency, your education program is success, see, we have no stupid elementary school students. They are potential youngsters to build our new district. That is how the story goes above, while in reality there are 5th graders who still hardly read and write a, b, c.  

This is a sad real story on how corruption is build (and taught) since early age. You might ask: “Then what will you do against these?” To be truth I am quite powerless. This is too systemic. Yes, you are at all your right to say that I am just making excuses. I can just being furious, turn the chairs and desks at office upside down, standing and pointing wrathfully and say: “YOU ARE ALL WILL GO TO JAIL AND H*LL BECAUSE YOU JUST INTRODUCE HOW TO DO CORRUPTION TO OUR STUDENTS! PLUS YOU ARE ALL CORRUPTOR YOURSELVES!!!” And then the improvement of education there also turned upside down at that time. Or, ended. Or, give a year of tormented life for my successor afterward.  

I can just being silent, and bring guilty feeling till I am death, bringing the i-should-have-done-something-feeling for my whole life. And then there is still a room for improvement of education at this place. I can also hypnotize them and lead them to a good way like a prophet, still it is only has a temporary effect. I can talk nicely and gives rational explanation on such case hoping that at least some of them -well no, two of them, no no, even only one of them- realized and put their best effort and courage not to do that policy anymore. Or at least give 7 with several compensation, tasks, papers, assignments, oral tests or whatever but blank seven. I cannot change people, I cannot change institutions, I cannot and do not want to boil the ocean. But what I believe is, God is able. I only do my part, a very minuscule part here, and I believe He will do the rest. There are still hope folks, no matter how hopeless it seems.  

By the way, if you guys have any idea on how I can effectively react to this issue, please kindly drop by. I do appreciate, thanks in advance :)  

*Written by consuming “Cheng Sie Lung”, a bitter traditional herbal Chinese med for sore throat (or what is so called ‘obat pasir’). Anyhow, it is not really bitter comparing to this ;p*