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JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The Constitutional Court (MK) presented the National Constitution Awards IX for the 2019 Outstanding PPKn Teachers, Tuesday (12/11) at Grand Sahid Jaya Hotel, Jakarta. The event was opened by Head of the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center Kurniasih Panti Rahayu.

In her speech, Ayu said that Pancasila and the Constitution recently faced new challenges, both internal and external. The external challenge is the clash of ideologies, with the increasingly dominating transnational ideology.

“It cannot be ignored because it is not in line with the national spirit and it destroys the life of the nation,” he said.

Ayu added that promoting Pancasila and the constitution is not only the task of the Government but also all elements of society. In this case, PPKn (Pancasila and Civic Education) teachers are one of the stakeholders who participated in instilling the value of nationality to their students, which requires creativity.

"Future PPKn teachers cannot rely solely on old ways of presenting their materials. Teachers are required to become instructors who are able to present fresh narratives, methods, and innovations whose effects can improve the spirit of learning, understanding, and behavior of students," she said to the grand finalists.

Ayu also said that this Constitution Award was not only a mere annual event but was appreciation by the state, in this case the Constitutional Court, in providing encouragement and motivation for PPKn teachers for their extraordinary dedication in spreading the values of Pancasila and the constitution both in schools and in the community. PPKn teachers have a noble profession and devotion, so the state to give them needs more attention as they improve the ethics of future citizens.

"It is not impossible that students who are taught today will be the nation\'s leaders in the future, who influence the course of the nation\'s history, so that what the PPKn teachers teach will continue to be relevant throughout time. The hope is that PPKn teachers are increasingly motivated to continue to be creative, productive, and innovative in providing education to their students, naturally along with much better welfare," she said.

The National Constitution Awards for Outstanding PPKn Teachers were awarded to PPKn teachers at the elementary/madrasah ibtidaiyah, junior high school/madrasah tsanawiyah, and senior high school/vocational senior high school/special needs senior high school/madrasah aliyah/Islamic education madrasah aliyah.

"The selection of the Constitution Awards for PPKn Teachers goes through three stages. First, selection at regency/city/province. Second, selection at the ministry level. Third, grand final at the Constitutional Court. And the Constitutional Court awarded the best teachers to first place, second place, third place, and first and second consolation prize winners at SD/MI, SMP/MTs, SMA/SMK/MA/MAK levels. The champions will receive trophies, medals, coaching prize money, and certificates," she explained.

The Constitutional Court will also give awards to 1 best print media, 1 best online media, 1 best television, 3 best journalists, and 3 best opinion writers. The Court will also give awards to 3 best law and constitution article writers and 3 best managers of legal and constitutional scientific journal.

Head of Program and Implementation of the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center Nanang Subekti delivered a report on the selection of the finalists. Nanang revealed that one of the important components of the nation in gaining an understanding of constitution, constitutionalism, and the Constitutional Court is PPKn. This is based on the consideration that there is a close relationship between the Court and PPKn teachers throughout the archipelago.

"The mission of the Court in enhancing community’s understanding of citizens\' constitutional rights while at the same time encouraging the realization of a constitutionally conscious culture can be disseminated and elaborated by PPKn teachers. In other words, PPKn teachers are expected to be friends of the Court and at the same time agents of change for Indonesian students so that they can become children who not only have a high spirit of nationalism but are also able to realize and fight for the constitutional rights of citizens along with a high culture of constitutionalism," he said.

Nanang also said that with this step, it was hoped that there would be continuous improvement in the constitutional conscious culture accompanied by the re-actualization of Pancasila values so that they would continue to be relevant to the challenges and the spirit of the times (zeitgeist). This task is a joint task of all Indonesian citizens, so that in the future, our community\'s life can uphold civic values that uphold democratic culture and nomocracy. The Court and all citizens are obliged to uphold the constitution and protect the ideology, as the main function of the Constitutional Court is as guardian of the ideology.

"On that thought, the Constitutional Court considers it important to collaborate with the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Religion to organize Constitutional Awareness Education activities and to give the Constitution Awards to PPKn Teachers who successfully carry out constitutional awareness education, both under the guidance of the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Religion."

The grand final of the Constitution Awards will take place today to yesterday night (13/11/19).  Through written test and interview, nine members of the jury presented by the Constitutional Court, the Ministry of Education and Culture, and the Ministry of Religion will choose nine best finalists at SD/MI, SMP/MTs, SMA/SMK/MA/MAK levels. (Panji/NRA)

Translated by: Yuniar Widiastuti

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