The Impact of Education During the Dutch Colonial Era on Suryakanta's Ideas about Bali in the Future

Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Singaraja, Indonesia

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Abstract

This study analyses the impact of education during the Dutch East Indies era on Suryakanta’s ideas about the future of Bali. Education at that time was designed primarily to produce a literate workforce for the colonial administration. While it encouraged the expansion of schools and literacy, it also had negative consequences because it was narrowly oriented toward creating civil servants and neglected local cultural values. Against this background, Suryakanta articulated critical ideas that reflected both opportunities and challenges of colonial education. Using a qualitative historical method, this research examines primary and secondary sources, including Suryakanta’s writings and related colonial-era documents. Data were analysed through source criticism and interpretive analysis to trace the relationship between colonial educational practices and Suryakanta’s reformist visions. The findings show that Suryakanta emphasized the need to develop four dimensions of human nature—physical, aesthetic, intellectual, and moral character—while also promoting formal education that valued modern degrees alongside traditional knowledge. He further advocated for equal access to positions, the abolition of discriminatory practices such as ajawera, and the adaptation of customs to remain relevant in changing times. These findings suggest that Suryakanta envisioned an education system that integrated modernization with cultural preservation. In conclusion, his ideas not only responded to the limitations of colonial education but also provided a progressive foundation for rethinking Balinese identity and education in the future. The implications highlight the importance of contextualizing contemporary education policies within local cultural values while critically engaging with global changes.