Education Ministry Focuses on Playgroups and Childcare Centres

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) continues to strengthen the national education transformation by reinforcing Early Childhood Education (PAUD) within the implementation of the 13-Year Compulsory Education programme, alongside improving the quality of basic education as a foundation for developing superior human resources. Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu’ti, stated that the government is currently preparing various strategic policies to deliver quality and equitable education for all students. He made the remarks during an Education Symposium at Muhammadiyah Sapen Universal School (MSUS) in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Abdul Mu’ti said that Kemendikdasmen is strengthening education from an early age through the 13-Year Compulsory Education programme, which begins at kindergarten. According to him, PAUD is a crucial foundation for building the quality of Indonesia’s human resources. “We at the ministry are committed to strengthening early childhood education. The 13-Year Compulsory Education starts from kindergarten, and we are also paying continuous attention to playgroup and childcare services so that the quality of early education services improves,” he stated. He added that various research findings show that early learning experiences significantly determine students’ success at subsequent educational levels. Therefore, the government continues to strive to improve the quality of PAUD services as part of strengthening the national education foundation. Abdul Mu’ti further emphasised that improving the quality of basic education is one of the ministry’s priorities. He noted that basic education serves as the foundational education that determines students’ academic development, character, social skills, and self-confidence at later stages. As a basis for policy formulation, the ministry also continues to utilise the Core Education Data (Dapodik) system to map the condition of education across Indonesia, ensuring that various programmes can be implemented in a targeted manner according to the needs of each region.