Jakarta, NU Online
The Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) thorugh the Education Institute of Ma'arif NU will continue to use the 2013 curriculum in Islamic schools (madrassa). <>

Through Circular Letter No. 666 / PP / SU / LPM-NU / XII / 2014, Ma'arif NU has instructed any educational institutions under the auspices of NU autonomous body to continue to implement the new designed curriculum.

"With this (circular letter), we have instructed schools and madrasa under the auspices of Maarif NU to implement it (2013 curriculum)," chairman of Maarif NU, H. Z. Arifin Junaidi told reporters here on Tuesday (10/12).

The letter is a response of a letter issued by the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education planning to evaluate the implementation of the 2013 curriculum as outlined in Letter No: 179 342 / MPK / KR / 2014.

In addition, he also sent a letter of response to the decision made by Culture and Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Anies Baswedan for canceling the 2013 national curriculum.

Anies has previously said that the ministry would drop the much-criticized 2013 national curriculum and has ordered schools in the country to revert to the 2006 curriculum.

The minister said the decision was made after a thorough review of the 2013 curriculum conducted by a team that he commissioned.

Anies also decided that 6,221 schools that have used the curriculum for the past three semesters could continue according to new guidelines, while more than 100,000 schools were required to return to the 2006 curriculum in the next semester.

Federation for Indonesian Teachers Associations (FSGI) secretary-general Retno Listyarti said her organization had previously demanded that the 2013 curriculum be scrapped.

Retno said it should be evaluated comprehensively. She also hoped that schools would use the 2006 curriculum as teachers and students were familiar with it.

“Curriculum changes confuse students. Many students complained about the 2013 curriculum,” she said.

Retno said teachers were also not ready as many of them received only five days of training on the new curriculum.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq