THE CHALLENGES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHARACTER EDUCATION IN BUILDING CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH MULTICULTURALISM PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Multiculturalism is often perceived as a political instruction and the value of
diversity in a pluralistic social order. The two terms are in fact closely related to
the world of education in which they are not mutually exclusive. It can be said like
two sides of a coin. Various concepts relevant to multiculturalism among others
are democracy, justice and law, cultural values and ethos, unity in equal diversity,
ethnic, ethnicity, ethnic culture, religious beliefs, expressions of culture, private
and publicdomain, human rights, community cultural rights, and other relevant
concepts. Multiculturalism Education is to be a challenge for the development of
national character education implementation as a place for the achievement of
citizens’ competences. Civic Responsibility as part of the citizenship
competencies is relevant to the strengthening and development of the nation’s
Character Education as well as the development of human resources that are ready
to compete in society. Indeed the diversity of Indonesian society becomes a crutch
for human resources development in Indonesia. Thus the character education does
not only discuss issues impacting the development of the character of the nation,
but comprehensively influence and impact on the establishment of the civic
responsibility. Character education as part of efforts to build the nation's character
is urgent to be applied. Character education is vital andis needed to establish a
‘new’ Indonesia, a country which is able to face regional and global challenges.
Keywords: Character Education, Civic Responsibility, Multiculturalism