By: Atiek Rachmawati, SS (Alumnus of Local Literature Study Program FSSR UNS (now FIB) 1999/ Javanese Language Teacher at SMA N 2 Grabag, Magelang)
Since it was launched by the Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Makarim, around July 2020, the ‘Guru Penggerak (Transformational Teacher)’ program has started the 6th program batch, with registration open from 10th January to 18th February 2022. The target set by the Kemendikbudristek, as stated on the https://www.kemdikbud.go.id/ page, is to reach 405,000 teachers certified by the Transformational Teachers Program by the end of 2024, which applies to every education stage, ranging from PAUD, SD, SMP, SMA, SMK to SLB, and all-region throughout the country.
Based on the data obtained from the https://school.penggerak.kemdikbud.go.id/gurupenggerak/detil-program webpage, the Transformational Teacher Program is started with Batch 1 with a total of 2,800 Transformational Teacher Candidates (CGP) from 56 target areas with an education program commencing on 13th October 2020, followed by the 2nd batch with 2,800 CGP from 56 target areas with the program commencing on 2nd April 2021. The program continues to the 3rd batch with 2,800 CGP from 56 target areas for the 12th August 2021 education program and the 4th batch with 8,000 CGP from 160 target areas for the 25th October 2021 education program. Early this year, the 5th batch was started with 8,000 CGP from 166 target areas for the following education program commencing on 5th April 2022, and the 6th batch, which will be the last, targetted 8,050 CGP from 161 target areas, with the education program commencing on 12th August 2022.
The Transformational Teacher Program itself was started from the vision and mission of ‘Indonesia Maju Bermartabat (Advanced and Dignified Indonesia)’ through the Pancasila Student profile, where teachers’ role is crucial to achieving this superior character. Teachers’ quality needs continuous improvement due to environmental and technological advancement. A teacher figure should not be the main focus, but also collaborations among the education system stakeholders such as principals, supervisors, and parents to create a better education system. Teachers’ role is not only to mobilize but also to prioritize student-centered learning.
The PKB SIM webpage explains that Transformational Teacher Education is a leadership education program for teachers to become leaders in a learning activity. The program includes online training, workshops, conferences, and 6 (six) months of mentoring for selected CGP. Upon joining the Transformational Teacher program, teachers must carry on their teaching duties in parallel with the Transformational Teacher program activities.
Furthermore, the general criteria for applying to the Transformational Teacher program are, PNS and non-PNS teachers from public and private schools, having a registered teacher account at Dapodik, has a minimum educational qualification of Bachelor or Four-years Diploma, has a minimum of 5 years teaching experience, and does not have more than 10 (ten) years of teaching tenure. Additionally, the candidate must have a strong desire to become a Transformational Teacher and not currently participate in CPNS training, PPG, or other activities carried out simultaneously with the recruitment process and Transformational Teacher Education.
A Transformational Teacher must have the following characteristic: can implement student-centered learning, focus on goals, be competent in motivating and encouraging other people and groups, be persistent, possess leadership characteristics, independent, willing to learn new things, be open to feedback and continue to improve themselves, capable of communicating effectively, have the experience in developing others, mature emotionally, and behave according to the code of ethics.
When it was first launched, there was no provision regarding Transformational Teacher Program certification becoming one of the requirements to become a school principal. The participants of the Transformational Teacher Program are teachers who have a thirst for knowledge, have the determination to learn continuously, and seek new knowledge to develop their professionalism as a teacher. However, following the regulation of Permendikbudristek No. 40 of 2021, regarding the Assignment of Teachers as School Principals, endorsed on 17th December 2021, one of the conditions for a teacher to be appointed as a school principal is the ownership of an active Transformational Teacher certificate. Transformational Teacher Certificate is a certificate given to a teacher who has attended and is declared to have passed the program education.
This provision could increase teachers’ interest to compete in participating in the Transformational Teacher Program. Hence, this regulation is good news for Transformational Teachers who have been certified as Transformational Teachers. Unfortunately, not all teachers can register or participate in the Transformational Teacher program. One of the reasons is because there are teachers from outside of the target area, thus, they are automatically rejected or deemed not eligible to apply as a Transformational Teacher on the teacher’s PKB page.
Apart from the selection criteria for Transformational Teachers listed on the PKB webpage for each teacher, such provision should not be the only determining factor for applying as a Transformational Teacher and a requirement for becoming a Principal. Indeed, a teacher must have these criteria to manage learning activities well. The ability to solve learning problems for each student is an absolute ability that a teacher must possess. Teachers must be capable of collaboration, either independently or under particular system provisions. Teachers must constantly develop their competency and professionalism as teachers and educators. Teachers must have good emotional balance and moral or spiritual maturity. And of the utmost importance, teachers must have basic pedagogical abilities to understand students’ characteristics, educational learning and learning theories, capability in developing relevant curricula, educational learning, and students’ competency development. This essential pedagogical ability also includes efficiency, effectiveness, continuity, integrity and flexibility, effective communication, continuous assessment, and evaluation for learning activities, which need to be fulfilled with or without Transformational Teacher Certification for an increasingly quality Indonesian education.
A teacher must have, following the spirit of Anies Baswedan, a life-long learning spirit. Do not let time pass meaninglessly. Start the day with a bright mind wide open, and conclude the day with the complete intake of new knowledge and insight. Because whatever a person does, it should be beneficial for himself, beneficial for his nation, and beneficial for humans in the world in general (Ki Hadjar Dewantara). (***)