Education Is Racing Towards Digitalisation, While Policy Struggles to Keep Up

Digital transformation in education cannot be measured solely by the number of devices distributed or platforms launched. It also requires consistent, equitable policy that puts the quality of learning first.

Imagine two schools in the same country. The first has a stable internet connection, sufficient digital devices and teachers accustomed to using technology in lessons. The second still faces limited electricity and internet access, as well as teachers who lack the skills to operate digital devices. Both are part of the same national education system, yet their learning opportunities differ. This illustrates that the digital transformation of Indonesian education is not merely a technological issue, but also a matter of policy and equity.

Digital technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and various learning platforms have changed how people obtain, process and produce knowledge. Education no longer depends entirely on classrooms and printed books. These changes, however, require the state to move faster in formulating policy. While educational practice is racing to keep pace with technological developments, public policy has not yet fully addressed the complexity of that change.

Digitalisation Is More Than Procuring Technology

The government has made learning digitalisation one of its education priorities. In 2026, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) aims to extend its learning digitalisation programme to 288,865 education institutions. The programme includes providing interactive digital boards and laptops, developing learning content, and delivering training and support to institutions (Kemendikdasmen, 2026). The policy demonstrates a commitment to expanding the use of technology in education.

But the success of digitalisation cannot be measured solely by the number of devices distributed. Technology is a tool, not education’s ultimate goal. The availability of digital devices will not automatically improve the quality of learning unless it is supported by adequate infrastructure, teachers’ skills, a relevant curriculum and sound school governance.

UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report 2023 cautions that the use of technology in education must take account of three key prerequisites: access to technology, appropriate regulation and teacher readiness. UNESCO also stresses that the effectiveness of educational technology cannot be assumed, as its impact depends on the context and how it is used (UNESCO, 2023). Digitalisation without careful planning could therefore create additional problems for the education system.

The Digital Divide and Educational Equity

The next challenge is the digital divide. Statistics Indonesia (BPS), in its 2024 Telecommunications Statistics report, found that 72.78 per cent of Indonesia’s population accessed the internet in 2024, up from 69.21 per cent in 2023. However, only 18.52 per cent of households owned a computer (BPS, 2025). The figures show that increased internet access does not necessarily mean that people have the devices needed to support digital learning.

This situation needs to be examined critically. Internet access among the public should not be equated with schools’ digital readiness. Students who can access the internet on a mobile phone may not have the devices or learning environment needed to study effectively. Network quality, the cost of access and people’s ability to use technology also vary between social groups.

The OECD’s Economic Surveys: Indonesia 2024 notes a digital divide between urban and rural areas, as well as unequal adoption of technology across regions. Location, economic circumstances and education levels all affect people’s opportunities to access the internet (OECD, 2024). Policies on digital education must therefore account for Indonesia’s geographic and social diversity.

This is where the politics of education become relevant. Education policy is not merely an administrative decision; it is a political choice about who receives opportunities, resources and quality education services. If digitalisation is more readily accessible to schools with adequate infrastructure, while under-resourced schools receive devices without sufficient support, the transformation risks widening existing inequalities.

Teachers and the Challenge of a Changing Learning Environment

Teacher readiness is another equally important issue. In digital transformation, teachers are not simply device operators; they are the principal actors who determine whether technology creates meaningful learning experiences. The ability to use applications must be matched by pedagogical skills, digital literacy, the ability to assess information and an understanding of the ethics of using technology.

The arrival of AI adds to these challenges. Students can now use AI to find information, draft writing, translate languages and even solve academic problems. This opens up opportunities for more personalised and interactive learning, but also brings risks of dependence, plagiarism, information manipulation and weakened critical thinking if its use is not properly guided.

On 16 March 2026, the government issued a joint decree on guidelines for the use and teaching of digital technology and artificial intelligence. The policy is intended to guide the ethical, safe, judicious and responsible use of technology across different forms of education (Kemendikdasmen, 2026). But the regulation must be followed by public information, capacity-building for teachers, oversight and sustained support.

Teachers must not be left to face technological change alone. Digital training should move beyond box-ticking exercises towards continuous professional development. Teachers need opportunities to experiment, share effective practice and develop teaching models suited to their students. Without policies that support teachers’ professional development, digitalisation may change the medium of instruction without improving the quality of education.

Building Adaptive and Sustainable Policy

The fundamental issue in the digital transformation of education lies in policy governance. Changes in leadership and government priorities are part of democratic life. But they should not cause education to lose its strategic direction. Education is a long-term investment whose results cannot always be measured within a single term of government.

Policy continuity is therefore needed, grounded in the actual needs of education institutions and empirical evidence. Every digitalisation programme should have clear measures of success, rather than relying only on administrative indicators such as the number of devices distributed or schools receiving assistance. Evaluations should measure how much devices are used, improvements in teachers’ skills, the quality of classroom interaction, students’ literacy development and equality of access between regions.

The World Bank study Digital Pathways for Education: Enabling Greater Impact for All emphasises the importance of digital policy focused on equity, relevance, the resilience of education systems and impact on learning outcomes. Technology should be part of a broader education strategy, not treated as a single solution to every learning problem (World Bank, 2025).

In Indonesia, at least three priorities need to be strengthened. First, the government must ensure equitable digital infrastructure, particularly for schools in disadvantaged, frontier and outermost regions. Second, developing teachers’ skills must be a priority alongside technology procurement. Third, digitalisation should be governed through coordination among ministries, local governments, education institutions, universities and the public.

Digitalisation policy should also make room for the diversity of education institutions, including madrasahs and religious higher-education institutions. The transformation must not focus only on general schools or institutions that already have substantial resources. Every education institution, with its own characteristics and challenges, deserves an equal opportunity to develop.

Setting a Direction, Not Merely Chasing Change

Ultimately, the future of Indonesian education will be determined not by how quickly schools adopt technology, but by how wisely the state manages that change. Digitalisation is unavoidable, but its direction and impact must still be shaped by policy choices that put people first.

Education is not a race to procure devices or a competition to use the latest applications. It is a process of developing knowledgeable, principled and critical people who can live with dignity amid change. Technology should therefore strengthen the pedagogical relationship between teachers and students, not replace it.

Education may be racing towards digitalisation, but government policy must not continue to struggle to keep up. The state must act not only as a technology provider, but also as a guarantor of equity, a guide to change and a guardian of education’s continuity. Educational progress is measured not by how sophisticated the devices are, but by how widely learning opportunities are available to all the nation’s children.