Project Citizen: Kami Bangsa Indonesia
SHOWCASE In Serang, BAnten
August 15, 2009

By Acih Sari, Program Coordinator

Administrated by the CCE Indonesia in cooperation with Education Office of Serang Regency
Funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
                                            

Over 80 Junior High School students and teachers gathered at the Serang Learning Center (PSBB) in Serang, Banten, to participate in a showcase of the Kami Bangsa Indonesia program. The students of state schools and Islamic private schools came to the event to present their classroom and out – of - class projects. In these projects, they learned to solve community problems in their neighborhood by proposing a public policy. A team of four female and four male students presented their classroom projects to a member of Regional People’s Representative Council, the head of Educational Office of Serang Regency, the principals, the teachers and students from different schools.

The issues highlighted by the students were environmental, poor public facilities and governmental administrative issues. Students explained about how to deal with industry and its industrial waste and the water and air pollution that gradually damaged the environment. Other groups of students had presentations on the high number of drop out students in Serang, the need of a new senior high school in their village, and the poor public road conditions near their schools.
Mr. Michael H. Anderson – Counselor for Public Affairs U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and Mr. Richard Nuccio – the Director of Civitas International Programs  the Center for Civic Education from Calabasas - USA attended the showcase and watched the students` presentations. In the morning break, the students had a chance to ask questions to the member of Regional People’s Representative Council about the bureaucracy and how to submit their proposals to the government. During the lunch break, the students participated in the traditional games to celebrate the 64th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia.
A panel of juries represented local leaders. There was Nana Jumhana, a lecturer of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Islamic State Institute who is also one of the Foundations of Democracy trainers, Elis, the head of Curriculum Division of Educational Office of Serang Regency, and Subhan, a community leader who is also a committee member of Nahdlatul Ulama – the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia.

After an attentive observation of all students’ presentations and portfolios, the panel of juries announced that Petir 2 State Junior High School was the first place team. This team successfully presented the problem of obtaining the identity cards for adult citizens. The issue of identity cards meant that people could not vote in the recent legislative and presidential elections and it made the headlines in the national news. The government has a regulation which states that only people who registered in the Regular Voter List (DPT) can vote, and that citizens must have an identity card to be registered on this list. One of the jurors asked why the students selected this issue as their classroom project because it did not seem as students` problem, and they do not have ID card. Rifqi, the captain of the team, gave his argument that it was indeed their problem because in only a few years they will have the right to vote and they want to use it. This argument really highlighted the purpose of the implementation of the Kami Bangsa Indonesia program in Indonesia, which tries to empower young generation to be active citizens and understand the basic principles of democracy.

The second best team was from Kopo 1 State Junior High School, which is located 50 km from the venue of the showcase and required a 2 hour drive. With high motivation and the full support of very motivated teacher, the team from this school perfectly presented the presentation regarding environment degradation caused by illegal sand excavating. The third best team was Cikande 1 State Junior High School which had a presentation on water pollution caused by industrial waste.

In conclusion, the showcase was a successful culmination of the implementation of the Kami Bangsa Indonesia program in Serang. The students gained many valuable experiences during the showcase and were able to show the civic skills they gained by learning with Kami Bangsa Indonesia program.