Education should serve as the primary bridge to social justice.\nHowever, in practice, not all Indonesian children have equal\nopportunities to learn. Educational disparities remain stark in\ndisadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions. In these areas,\ndamaged schools, shortages of teachers, limited internet access, and\nlong distances to school remain everyday realities.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the government\u2019s bias towards education in 3T regions is\nnot merely a policy choice but a constitutional obligation. This policy\nis crucial because educational inequality is not just a matter of\nschooling but a concern for the future of national development. When the\nquality of education in 3T regions lags far behind urban areas, social\nand economic gaps will continue to widen.<\/p>\n
Some Facts<\/p>\n
Data shows that the challenges of education in 3T regions remain very\nsignificant. Reports from 2025 note that thousands of schools in 3T\nareas still face limitations in basic facilities. There are even reports\nthat more than 33,000 schools in 3T regions face shortages of\neducational infrastructure. Additionally, around 17 percent of schools\nin 3T areas do not yet have adequate electricity or internet\nnetworks.<\/p>\n
Another issue is the uneven distribution of teachers. Many quality\nteachers are concentrated in urban areas, while schools in remote\nregions lack teaching staff. Research on teacher equity in 2025 states\nthat 3T regions remain the areas with the greatest challenges in the\ndistribution and sustainability of educators. As a result, the quality\nof learning becomes unequal.<\/p>\n
Children in big cities are already introduced to and familiar with\nartificial intelligence-based learning, whereas some children in 3T\nregions still study in damaged classrooms or without internet access.\nThis disparity is actually the greatest threat to Indonesia\u2019s\ndemographic dividend.<\/p>\n
The human capital theory by Theodore Schultz and Gary Becker (1979)\nexplains that investment in education is the primary factor in\nincreasing human productivity and economic growth. Associated with the\nChicago School, they provide a strong intellectual foundation for\ninvesting in human resources as the main driver of economic growth. In\ntheir theory, a country that fails to provide equitable access to\nquality education will face stagnation in human development. In the\nIndonesian context, 3T regions serve as a real test of whether\neducational development is truly inclusive or only progresses in urban\ncentres.<\/p>\n
From the perspective of social justice, this situation is explained\nthrough John Rawls\u2019 theory of justice as fairness (1958). He asserts\nthat the state must give greater attention to the most disadvantaged\ngroups. In the context of Indonesian education, 3T regions are the group\nthat must receive greater policy affirmation compared to advanced\nregions.<\/p>\n
Government Bias<\/p>\n
The government, through the ministry handling basic and secondary\neducation, recognises that focus must also be given to the development\nof education in 3T regions. In the last two years, particularly\nthroughout 2025\u20132026, this ministry has shown a more affirmative policy\ndirection towards regions that have long been left behind in educational\nservices. Since the formation of this ministry at the end of 2024, the\ndirection of basic and secondary education policy has placed equity as\nan important agenda.<\/p>\n
The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education has repeatedly\nemphasised that quality education must be enjoyed by all Indonesian\nchildren, including those in the most remote areas. When inaugurating\nthe revitalisation of educational units across Pati Regency in April,\nthe Minister stated that \u201cWe are focusing the revitalisation of\neducational units on schools affected by disasters, 3T regions\n(Disadvantaged, Frontier, and Outermost), and schools with severe\ndamage, as an effort to ensure all students can learn in a safe and\ndecent environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evidence of this commitment is the realisation of PIP disbursement\nnationally in 2025, reaching 102.18 percent of the target volume, with a\ntotal budget absorbed of Rp13.4 trillion for 19 million pupils from\nelementary to vocational secondary levels. In 3T regions, this\nassistance reaches thousands of pupils in various areas. For example, in\nKupang Regency, NTT, funds of Rp37.2 billion were disbursed to 52,716\npupils; in East Manggarai Regency, NTT, assistance worth Rp30.7 billion\nwas given to 45,359 pupils; in Southwest Sumba Regency, NTT, Rp36.3\nbillion was disbursed for 48,989 pupils; and in West Seram Regency,\nMaluku, Rp18.6 billion was disbursed to 25,954 pupils.<\/p>\n
The welfare of teachers in 3T regions is also a government priority.\nThis is done through the disbursement of Various Non-Civil Servant\nTeacher Allowances. The realisation of Non-Civil Servant Teacher\nProfessional Allowance (TPG) nationally reached 103.01 percent with a\ntotal budget of Rp12.1 trillion. The Teacher Professional Education\nProgramme (PPG).<\/p>\n
Another matter relates to the Affirmative Secondary Education Policy\n(ADEM) in the form of scholarships. The ADEM scholarship aims to realise\nequity and expansion of access to education, targeting secondary-level\nstudents (high school\/vocational high school) from Papuan Indigenous\nPeople (OAP), Special Regions, and Children of Indonesian Migrant\nWorkers in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia (repatriated). ADEM recipients have\nrelatively increased year on year. This is done as an effort to support\nincreased access to education for Papua regions, special regions, and\nrepatriation areas.<\/p>\n
Future Anticipations<\/p>\n
In the context of public policy, the steps taken by the ministry\nhandling basic and secondary education\u2026<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/focusing-on-education-in-disadvantaged-frontier-and-outermost-regions-1778241228", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }