Education Ministry: Consortium-Model Distance Learning Makes Education Flexible

Jakarta - The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) has stated that the implementation of Distance Learning (PJJ) using a consortium model ensures flexible learning activities aimed at returning out-of-school children to educational services. Secretary General of Kemendikdasmen, Suharti, said the number of Out-of-School Children (ATS) in Indonesia remains relatively high, with four million children aged between 7 and 18 years. “The ATS group aged 16-18 years is a critical age group. If they are not reached quickly, they have the potential to drift further away from educational services. And they will enter the labour market more quickly without adequate skills. Returning ATS is not just about increasing school participation rates, but is also a social investment,” Suharti said during a webinar in Jakarta on Friday. For this reason, the ministry is implementing the PJJ Programme with a consortium model, which collaborates main PJJ organising schools with partner schools. She explained that the main school will act as the primary manager of academic administration, learning development, digital system management, and quality assurance for PJJ services. Meanwhile, the partner schools serve as learning service hubs that are closer to the students’ locations. To date, the ministry has recorded that this year’s PJJ implementation is ready to be supported by 32 main organising schools and 100 partner schools spread across various provinces in Indonesia, as well as one Indonesian School Abroad (SILN). “So schools are present not just as a place, but as a learning ecosystem that can move closer to the needs of the students,” said Secretary General Suharti.