Halfway Inclusion Education
Edeally, Indonesia is on the right track by implementing an equitable inclusive education system. Through the Merdeka Curriculum, the government has emphasized that the education system in Indonesia values diversity. However, in practice, inclusive education still faces several obstacles and, in fact, its implementation has not been fully effective or evenly distributed. One of the fundamental problems hindering the effectiveness of inclusive education in Indonesia is the limited competence of teachers, as many regular school teachers have not received special training in dealing with children with special needs. This results in a less than optimal learning process because teachers do not understand the strategies and methods appropriate to their individual needs.
The next problem lies in the aspects of infrastructure and learning environment. Many inclusive schools in Indonesia do not yet have disability-friendly facilities. Not to mention inclusive schools, even regular schools in remote areas still do not have adequate facilities and infrastructure. According to a survey by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN, 2022), only about 27 percent of inclusive schools have accessibility facilities such aswheelchair ramps, accessible toilets, or visual aids. However, there are also positive examples, such as SDN 03 Pancoran in South Jakarta, which provides wheelchair ramps, therapy rooms, and visual aids for deaf students.
However, the biggest challenges usually arise from social and cultural aspects of society. There are still many cases of bullying against children with special needs in schools due to a lack of understanding and empathy from their peers. There are also many parents of regular students who reject the presence of children with special needs in their children'sclassrooms on the grounds that they “hinder the learning process” or “disturb the class's concentration.” This stigmatization shows that inclusion has not been fully accepted as a culture, but is instead considered an “additional burden” on the education system.
Thus, it can be concluded that inclusive education in Indonesia is not yet fully effective, not because the idea is flawed, but because the support system is not yet strong. The government still tends to focus on regulations and declarations, when in fact the key to the success of inclusive education is the active involvement of the government and collaboration with teachers and the community in all aspects of implementation, not just at the policy level. Ide dan tujuannya sudah kuat, namun tanpa tindakan nyata, dukungan total pemerintah, serta perubahan pola pikir masyarakat, inklusi hanya akan berjalan setengah jalan, ibaratnya seperti mesin yang sudah dibuat dengan baik, tetapi belum mendapatkan bahan bakar yang cukup untuk berjalan secara maksimal.
Oleh: Risma Ais Indahsari 24010044023
