Daftarsbmptn.com – Several observers believe that public decisions in Indonesia often ignore scientific and ethical considerations. This situation is intertwined with the direction of national education policy, which is considered not yet fully grounded in humanitarian foundations. This criticism has emerged as the complexity of social, environmental, and technological issues demands an approach based on scientific knowledge and moral values.
In various strategic policies, from environmental management and public health to education, scientific approaches often give way to short-term considerations. Decisions are made primarily based on political, economic, or situational interests, without adequate scientific study and in-depth ethical reflection. As a result, the resulting policies often have knock-on effects that are detrimental to the wider community.
Public policy observers believe the weak integration of science and ethics reflects a fundamental problem in the decision-making process. Science should be a tool for objectively understanding reality, while ethics serves as a moral compass to ensure policies remain aligned with humanity. When both are neglected, policies have the potential to deviate from the goal of public welfare.
This situation is also reflected in the world of education. Indonesian education is considered to place too much emphasis on administrative aspects, academic achievement, and competitive targets, while underemphasizing the dimensions of character development, empathy, and social awareness. Education is geared more toward producing graduates who are ready to compete, but not necessarily individuals who are ethical and caring towards others.
A number of academics believe that the educational curriculum has not fully placed humanitarian values as its primary foundation. Science learning, for example, is often understood as memorizing concepts and formulas, rather than as a way of critical thinking to solve real-life problems that impact humans and the environment. Similarly, moral and ethical education is often positioned as supplementary, rather than an integral part of the learning process.
In fact, global challenges such as climate change, health crises, and technological developments demand a generation that is not only intellectually intelligent but also ethically mature. Without a strong humanitarian foundation, knowledge and technology have the potential to be misused or directed towards narrow interests.
Criticism has also been directed at the decision-making process in the education sector itself. Education policies often change quickly without comprehensive, data-based evaluation. These changes often confuse educators and students, and ignore the psychological and social impacts they cause. This demonstrates a lack of a scientific and ethical approach to formulating long-term policies.
Observers believe that reform needs to begin with a paradigm shift. Public decisions must place science as the basis of analysis and ethics as the framework of values. In the context of education, this means placing humans at the center of policy, not simply objects of the system. Education needs to be directed towards developing individuals capable of critical thinking, empathy, and responsibility towards society.
Furthermore, the involvement of experts, academics, and civil society in the policy formulation process is considered crucial to ensure that decisions are aligned with scientific reality and humanitarian values. Transparency and accountability are also key to ensuring that public policies can be tested rationally and morally.
With increasingly complex challenges, public decisions that ignore science and ethics risk widening the gap between policy and societal needs. Education, as the foundation of long-term development, is expected to return to its role in developing the whole person, rather than simply fulfilling the demands of the system. Without fundamental change, criticism of the direction of Indonesian public policy and education is expected to continue to intensify.