Discussion began to heat up in early July when former education minister Prof. Dr. Daoed Joesoef declared that the next minister must be a person who “will not amass personal gains for seven generations.”

The statement came as a surprise to the somewhat innocent education audience, because never before had a former education minister released such a hard punch, as if sitting in the chair of the minister of education means getting the opportunity to make a fortune.

Whether or not this assessment is right is another question; but the plain fact is that even in this so-called Reform Era where legal supremacy has begun to reign, this particular cabinet portfolio is being vied for by many political parties.

The Ministry of National Education, as it is called, is among the recipients of the largest allocation of state budget and reportedly there are more than 400 big projects under the control of the minister.

Perhaps this is the reason why senior educators have warned against giving this portfolio to politicians or anybody representing a political party. The logic is quite simple: A political Minister of Education will politicize education policies for the sake of the parties that put him in that position rather than for the sake of millions of students and other stakeholders of education.

Since independence in 1945, Indonesia has appointed 38 people to head the ministry (see the table). With a few exceptions, many of them are seen as political rather than educational leaders.

Therefore today’s holistic educators are saying that the next minister should not be picked from political circles because there are more than enough candidates from the professional academic circle who can do the job.

Based on performance, at least in elevating their own universities and presenting their brilliant ideas to the nation, as well as leadership skill and integrity, we can actually name a few great educators as capable candidates for selection, even though President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono may have his own criteria.

Among the most potential candidates are the current Minister of Communication and Information Dr. Muhammad Nuh, rector of the University of Indonesia Prof. Dr. Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri, rector of Paramadina University Dr. Anies Baswedan (recognized one of the world’s 100 most influential intellectuals by Foreign Policy magazine) and the first moderator of a recent debate among presidential candidates, rector of state-owned Islamic University (UIN) Prof. Dr. Komarudin Hidayat, and rector of Bandung Institute of Technology Prof. Dr. Djoko Santoso.

Other capable candidates are Prof. Dr. Priyo Suprobo (ITS Surabaya), Prof. Dr. Edy Suwandi Hamid who is chairman of the Rectors’ Forum and rector of Islamic University of Indonesia.

Other capable candidates from the younger generation that could possibly be considered are Dean of the School of Social Political Sciences of the University of Indonesia Prof. Dr. Shergi Bambang Laksmono, and Dean of the Business School of University of Pelita Harapan (UPH) Prof. Dr. Roy Sembel. From the bureaucratic circle, perhaps the most likely candidates for this position are the current Director General for Higher Education Dr. Fasli Jalal, and Special Assistant to the Minister of Education for International Relations Dr. Herwindo Haribowo. Other directors general at this ministry are also very capable candidates but they have yet to gather public recognition of their performance.

Nevertheless, some public figures are calling for reappointment of the current minister, Prof. Dr. Bambang Sudibyo, whom they believe is the right person to lead the education sector for the next five years.

Speculations apart, the truth is that the next minister of education must be a visionary designer of national education policies who knows that education is the sector that determines to a great extent the nation’s future strength. Abandon this principle and Indonesia will forever become a follower and end user in the international arena.

Holistic educators are now calling on the president-elect to consider carefully the criteria they have proposed so that he will not pick the wrong person for this position.

Following are the most potential candidates for the job and the criteria that senior educators recently proposed during interviews with CampusAsia as well as their presentation in public forums.CA