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15 Admirable Moral Education in Indonesia

Review by : Yuli SE., MM

Moral education is strong in Indonesia. Children in Indonesia is always taught on moral lessons and values either at home or at school. The things that they learn on morality is hoped to shape them into better human beings. Indonesians are expected to remember these moral lessons and apply them to their daily lives. So here are the 15 Moral Education in Indonesia that everyone is taught ever since they were kids.

1. Polite

From an early age, Indonesians are taught to be polite with everyone they meet. The politeness must be shown through their words and actions when around other people. The young people in Indonesia must especially pay attention to how polite they have to be towards their elders. It counts as a common social etiquette in Indonesia society.

2. Tolerance

It is widely known that Indonesia is made up of many ethnicity, tribes, religions, traditions and cultures. Those combinations may seem lethal but Indonesians know that they can handle it as long as they remain tolerant to one another. It is a lesson that is passed down to every generation.

Being tolerant will help in maintaining unity and peace in the country. All sorts of conflicts and different opinions may arise but tolerance can help to solve those problems. It is morally right to allow people to live within their own beliefs and views as long as they do not cause harm to other people.

3. Helpful

Indonesians must also be helpful to their friends, family, neighbours and even strangers. They are told to give a helping hand to those who are in need. Also, they are taught to help with a genuine heart. So, they should not ask for anything in return. This act of helping other people is meant to be an act for caring in the name of humanity.

4. Avoid Gossipping

People may always be tempted to gossip. It happens every once in a while to everybody. However, gossipping is not encouraged in Indonesia. Other than being morally wrong, it can cause conflicts within the community. Gossipping is a quick way to spread misinformation that will cause misfortunes to other people.

Instead of gossipping, Indonesians are always told to do other productive things so they don’t waste their time. They should focus on bettering the community, themselves or help other people who are less fortunate.

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5. Gratefulness

This next thing on moral education that Indonesian holds very dear is the ability to be grateful. Many Indonesians are constantly reminding themselves to practice this. They are grateful for everything that they have and are willing to let go of the things that they don’t. Indonesians try as much as possible to avoid whining and complaining too much. Instead of focusing on the negatives, they are willing to keep their eyes open to the positives that are happening in their lives.

6. Courageous

People in Indonesia are encouraged to be brave. They should always fight for what is right and the things they believe in. What they have to avoid is cowering in fear when someone is intimidating or threatening. By being courageous, Indonesians can also lend a voice to those who are powerless. Being brave will also create a person with a strong personality that can help the country to grow towards a better future.

7. Loving

This especially applies to loving nature and people in Indonesia. People must consider each other as brothers or sisters despite their differences. A heart full of hate is highly discouraged in Indonesians. It brings no peace to the wellbeing of the people in the community. Other than that, Indonesians must also love nature. They must do whatever it takes to protect instead of causing more harm.

8. Mutual Respect

Indonesians are also taught to be respectful with one another. It is considered rude to look down on others who are less fortunate or those who may have a lower status. One must also be respectful when out and about in public. This can be shown in the way Indonesians carry out their communications and behaviours. For instance, not shouting and causing fights are respectful ways to maintain peace within the community.

9. Humility

Humility is something that every Indonesian should strive for. There is even a saying that Indonesians should remember which goes “Seperti ilmu padi, semakin berisi semakin berunduk”. It can be loosely translated to mean that someone should be like a paddy plant. When a paddy plant is filled with grains, it bends down. So, the more knowledge or experience someone has, they should always remain humble.

10. Truthful

Being truthful is also taught to every Indonesian child. It’s a way to ensure that the child will grow up into an honest adult. Lying is intolerable in Indonesia. It shows a huge character flaw for Indonesians. Not being truthful would mean that someone is not trustworthy and may cause harm to other people. No matter what happens, being honest should always be prioritised.

11. Responsible

Indonesians must be responsible. Running away from responsibilities is a big no. It shows how immature and immoral a person can be. Another thing that Indonesian is not allowed to do is to use someone as a scapegoat. It can greatly cause damage to someone’s reputation and livelihood. For everything that Indonesians do, they must be able to handle all the responsibilities too. It means that people have to admit and accept mistakes when they happen.

12. Hardwork

Most people in Indonesia are hardworking for a reason. They know that they will be unable to achieve success or their goals without putting effort into their actions. Moreover, they are also taught to avoid begging as much as possible. To a lot of Indonesians, begging shows that someone is lazy and unmotivated. People always appreciate those who can at least get through their day by doing works and not just leeching off from other people.

13. Fairness

Indonesians must treat each other fairly. Injustice and unfair treatments must always be avoided at all cost. For example, a person should not get a special advantage over someone else because of their status. Everything must be done in fairness. As human beings, Indonesians believe that being fair is one of the ways to show respect. It also gives people a chance at life without feeling pesimistic or afraid.

14. Careful with Words

This next moral lesson in Indonesia is to be careful with their words. Indonesians are always warned of the things they say out loud about other people or towards someone especially if they are rude. There is also a saying for this that goes “Mulutmu harimaumu” which basically means that the words out of your mouth can bite you back like a tiger. They are reminded to hold back their tongues and rethink of the things they are going to say. Someday they might regret or feel the repercussions of their own words.

15. Always Learning

No matter how much knowledge an Indonesian has, he or she should strive for more. Indonesians must uphold knowledge as something that is valuable and ageless. No matter how old an Indonesian is, there should be no excuse not to learn. Someone who stops learning and consider oneself as the smartest is often said to be a fool. Indonesians are also told to spread knowledge to other people so they become useful and helpful.

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Each one of these moral education clearly plays a huge role in Indonesians lives. They use all the moral values as a compass or guides to help them grow into good human beings that can give positive contribution to society.