President's Speech at The Inaugural Title of Doctor Honoris Causa from NTU Singapore

This is the president's speech points taken from his tweet on twitter @SBYudhoyono.

1. It is a great honor for me to receive an Honorary Doctorate from one of Asia's leading universities.
2. My sons, Agus Harimurti & Edhie Baskoro, also earned their masters’ degrees from NTU. I am glad I am following in their footsteps.
3. For decades, the size of this Singapore-related Indonesian diaspora has grown considerably.
4. This people-to-people link is the greatest asset in our countries’ close bilateral relations.
5. The NTU awarded me this degree for delivering "political stability, economic development & democratic change" in Indonesia.
6. I inherited a state which had begun to recover in terms of governance capacity. Indonesia was still in debt over USD 7 billion.
7. Relations between the executive, legislature, judiciary were still fluid; problems in Aceh, Papua, a military embargo, corruption.
8. Indonesia's success was relevant not only to our nation, but also to the region, and the wider world.
9. I realized that Indonesia had the potential to be one of Asia's giants, not just a benign one.
10. The worst thing that could happen was for reform to start losing steam.
11. Indonesian drivers of change need to draw from other sources, leadership and governance.
12. Stability, growth, progress could only be achieved if we set the right priorities and execute bold policy measures to achieve them.
13. My instinct in leading Indonesia therefore was NOT to go slower, but to run even FASTER with reforms.
14. We did not just reform, we transformed – "reformasi" to "transformasi".
15. Today we’re a trillion dollar economy, largest economy and middle class in Southeast Asia; 6.3% growth, second after China.
16. Our debt to GDP ratio is 23%, lowest among G-20 economies. We are no longer an “IMF patient”.
17. We resolved conflict in Aceh, improved political reforms in Papua, implemented rapid decentralization.
18. The past decade has been called the "transformational decade".
19. INDONESIAN DEMOCRACY - democratic development is one of the most significant political developments in the 21st century.
20. Indonesia broke a number of myths and stereotypes about democracy.
21. ECONOMIC GROWTH - we broke the notion that democracy and ECONOMIC GROWTH are not mutually exclusive.
22. We had to choose either a lot of democracy but little economic growth; or a lot of economic growth but little political freedom.
23. We did NOT have to choose between democracy and development.
24. Elections in 1999, 2004 and 2009 – still retained economic growth around 6%. Democracy and economic growth are mutually reinforcing.
25. We achieve this by four-track development strategy —pro growth, pro job, pro poor, pro environment.
26. Strategy was to promote a balanced, comprehensive economic development - a framework based on “sustainable growth with equity”.
27. The need was to promote a resilient and vibrant domestic market.
28. Such strategies proved effective in keeping the Indonesian economy afloat in the midst of a global economic slow down.
29. ISLAM AND MODERNITY – we proved democracy, ISLAM and MODERNITY can go well together.
30. Muslims in Indonesia are comfortable with democracy and modernity. This may well offer valuable lessons to Arab Spring countries.
31. MIDDLE-CLASS - democracy does not necessitate the presence of a large MIDDLE-CLASS.
32. A school of thought says a democracy is ripe once a large middle-class is in place.
33. Our 1999 middle-class was 25% of population (45 million). Yet voting turn-out was 77%, highest among open democracies.
34. Enthusiasm for democracy is high across all levels of economic spectrum in Indonesia - rich, middle-class, the poor.
35. Indonesians believe their vote counts, relevant for their future.
36. DECENTRALIZATION – we were one of the most centralized governments in Asia, political & economic decisions were made in Jakarta.
37. We could consolidate our democracy while simultaneously pursuing ambitious decentralization.
38. NATIONAL UNITY - Another myth that we broke was the inter-relationship between democracy and NATIONAL UNITY and SECURITY.
39. Some concerns democracy would unravel Indonesia. One of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world could be the next "Balkan".
40. Mired separatist conflicts in Aceh and Papua intensified. Serious violence in Poso, Ambon, and Maluku. Pockets of extremism rose.
41. I am pleased that the strengthening of our democracy has brought about numerous impacts.
42. Aceh was permanently resolved in 2005. Violence in Poso, Ambon and Maluku ended.
43. Power was devolved to the provinces, and economic growth no longer gravitates in Jakarta.
44. Law enforcement and conflict resolution have become priority for successive governments.
45. STABILITY – an undeniable link between democracy and STABILITY.
46. We demonstrated that democracy can co-exist with development; with national unity; with security; and with stability.
47. KEEPING THE MOMENTUM - Our future will need to be created. Our continued success will need to be earned.
48. Sustaining Indonesia’s transformation will require : hard work and diligence of the people, particularly its leaders;
49. By 2045 - one hundred years of independence - my vision of an Indonesia fully transformed will become a reality.

I wish that Indonesia will emerge to be a thriving nation living in democracy, peace and progress.

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Using Facebook in the School

Heppell - Whether it is Facebook, MSN Messenger, Bebo, iChat, Skype, YouTube or any other form of social networking - we know our young people are, and will be, using it.

As with all new media, research projects have shown time and again that if young people see a vacant space, they will fill it (and perhaps not always in the most positive way). As the blurring between social and work continues, organisations from universities to work places are using social networks increasingly effectively for work. They often seek for evidence that potential employees or students can be effectively collegiate and understand mutuality - that they can use these new social tools for work and for the workplace.

We need to teach young people the way to use them appropriately, to build their sense of entitlement into a sense of responsibility and to work with them on effective and safe strategies for protection whilst using social media. If we were seeking to develop water safety we wouldn't keep children away from water until they are 16 and then throw them off the pier - similarly with social media, blindly banning them is inappropriate and equally dangerous.

Conversely, if students see social media used in a positive way to enhance learning, it changes the way they perceive these social spaces, which by osmosis become more educational - who wouldn’t want that?

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A Week without Social Media

Fastcompany.com - Earlier this month, Pennsylvania's Harrisburg University of Science and Technology began a week-long ban of social media. For days, students struggled to cope with the lifestyle changes: Having no access to Facebook, Twitter, and other services on campus was like trudging through the desert without water. The blackout has since ended: Somehow, above all odds, the students survived.

"When we first started, there were quite a few angry students," says provost Eric Darr. "I got some rather energetic calls from people around the country, saying things like, 'Stop the madness!'"

The dream of The Minister of National Education

In an event of SAVE OUR NATION in Metro TV last year, the MInister of National Education of RI, Prof. Dr. Bambang Sudibyo told a dream about goal of our education.

First, all schools have computer laboratory wich is connected to the internet;
Second, all teachers have laptop wich is connected to the internet;
Third, all students have laptop wich is connected to the internet

The begining of his impression to organization of Boedi Oetomo and two figure of education of Ki Hajar Dewantoro and KH Ahmad Dahlan and also struggle of education of his father and his father in law, our the Minister told that education is as effort to change potency to become actuality. All human are awarded by the potency and with the education hences the potency form to become real competention. That way, according to him, education is a methodologies for actuality of potency to become competention and inclusive of there is a change of destiny.

In this bearing, from all education components, teacher is the most dominant influence of education. Because teacher become mediator of student as one who facilitated to change potency, so become competention. For that, a theacher shall be a professional, so that born declaration of teacher as profession by SBY at Dec 2nd, 2004. One year later; it will be followed by law of teacher and lecturer.

Basically, a teacher profession is an occupation from somebody who have skill, educated and trained in teachership education. With considerations and logical policys, profession term interpreted by occupation which needs skill after he finish teachership education of strata 1 (S1) or diploma 4 (D4) and added with additional competention. And then, it appeared certification of teacher which must be followed by all teacher, civil worker or Non-civil worker.

Then, why does the Minister dream it? His answer, applying of information technology (IT) massly which is very needed at educational to go to e-learning. This is absolute. Teachers and also students have to be going with vision of forwards and IT has to be mastered.

Although I use computer of P4 and 1,5Gh connected with SE K300i phone modem and limited only, computerize system viewed is very supports studying and is not be extinct the teacher existence. Because, of self learning system (self learning materials or individualized system of instruction), teacher's ability is still needed, it is only slimmer and a few differing. Such as proposed by The Minister, all teachers is study consultant which facilitate student as subject of learning.

In America, originally of  the idea computerize is refused, because it will add unemployment. But, in pact ex employee can be accomodated in computer factory as effect of computerize, then the idea computerize is accepted by society (Hatfield).

Perhaps, most importantly of information technology does not change fundamental subject. It means, in one side left brain (short term memory) of human remain to be developed with reference to verbal and mathematical ability, on the other side right brain (long term memory) of human ever bring it to matter of creative, imaginative, and value.

Let us realize the dream of The Minister:

1. all schools have computer laboratory which is conected to the internet
2. all teachers have laptop which conected to the internet
3. all students have laptop which conected to the internet.