Obama urges education reform
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Presiden Amerika Serikat Barack Obama mengatakan, sistim pendidikan Amerika Serikat seharusnya membuat iri banyak negara, tetapi faktanya kini merosot.
Karena itu, Obama mengusulkan perbaikan sistem pendidikan lewat pertanggungjawaban yang lebih baik, pengeluaran yang lebih cerdas, dan bantuan bagi siswa yang ingin memperoleh pendidikan di perguruan tinggi.
Obama, 10 Maret 09, mengatakan bahwa kualitas pendidikan AS merosot di bawah banyak pesaing internasionalnya. Itu berdampak pada kemampuan siswa AS untuk bersaing dalam mendapatkan pekerjaan.
Ia minta negara-negara bagian yang menangani sendiri sistim pendidikannya untuk menyusun standar belajar yang lebih baik. Ia mengatakan, sekolah-sekolah harus mengajarkan “keterampilan abad ke-21″ seperti pemikiran kritis, kreativitas, dan kewiraswastaan.
Presiden Obama menambahkan, paket perangsang ekonomi yang baru-baru ini ia tandatangani menyediakan dana 5 miliar dollar untuk perluasan program pendidikan, peningkatan akses layanan anak yang berkualitas, dan lebih banyak bantuan untuk anak-anak cacat.
President Obama outlined an ambitious education agenda on Tuesday that included the suggestion that states and local schools consider longer days and academic years.
“The challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom,” Obama told the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in a speech with sweeping goals but few specifics.
The goals include improved early childhood education programs, higher standards in elementary and high schools, better teacher pay and recruitment, and expanded college aid programs.
Obama tied education reform to addressing the economic crisis, saying a better educated workforce will enhance the nation’s long-term prosperity.
“Education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, it is a prerequisite,” Obama said.
In a 40-minute address, Obama outlined five general areas of education reform, including many proposals he made during his presidential campaign:
•Early childhood education. Obama pledged new “early learning challenge grants” to states for programs to help infants prepare for kindergarten, citing research that such programs can lead to better math and reading scores later on.
The recently signed stimulus bill includes $5 billion in new funds for Head Start and Early Head Start, Obama said. Overall, the $787 billion stimulus package includes $41 billion in total grants to local school districts.
