Central and Regional Governments Collaborate to Strengthen Educational Foundations Towards Digital Sovereignty
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikdasmen) continues to refine its strategic steps to ensure that national priority programmes are effectively implemented, both in terms of physical infrastructure and technological proficiency. This is being achieved through two parallel approaches: synchronising coordination between the central and regional governments, and strengthening the foundations for digital sovereignty in the education sector.
At the local level, Kemendikdasmen is strengthening the synchronisation of coordination with regional governments through the Regional Consolidation (Konsolda) activity at the Provincial Education Quality Assurance Agency (BPMP) in South Sumatra. Deputy Minister of Education and Culture, Atip Latipulhayat, emphasised that the authorities of the central and regional governments must converge, not overlap, so that priority programmes are truly felt by the community.
“Authorities and responsibilities must converge, not diverge. They must be on the same wavelength. There must be no overlapping authorities that lead to a lack of accountability,” Atip said in a written statement in Jakarta, Thursday.
Atip provided critical feedback regarding the management of the revitalisation budget, which amounts to almost IDR 90 trillion for 71,000 educational institutions. He reminded that the quality of physical development should be the top priority. “Please, make sure that the reports are completed, but the buildings are not dilapidated. Don’t let schools that are severely damaged only get a new toilet,” he said, emphasising the importance of creating a decent school environment for children.
Director of SMA at Kemendikdasmen, Winner Jihad Akbar, added that the Konsolda forum serves as a platform to align national policies at the regional level, including monitoring the revitalisation, digitalisation, and Free Nutritious Meal programmes. The Head of the South Sumatra Provincial Education Office, Mondyaboni, welcomed this initiative and hoped that central government assistance would continue, given the budget adjustments at the regional level.
In line with efforts to improve physical infrastructure and governance, Kemendikdasmen is also committed to building the foundations for digital sovereignty. Special Staff of the Minister of Education and Culture for Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence, Muhammad Muchlas Rowi, emphasised that digital sovereignty is about ensuring that the future of the Indonesian generation is built on a foundation of secure data, independent infrastructure, and globally competitive technological capabilities.
“For Kemendikdasmen, digital sovereignty in education is not just about transformation, but also about strengthening national sovereignty through a national data-based education system, independent infrastructure, and the mastery of technology by the younger generation,” said Muchlas when representing the Minister of Education and Culture at the Digital Day 2026 event in Jakarta.