Education transformation must start with learning approach: Minister

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen) Abdul Mu’ti has said that education transformation needs to start from the root of the problem, namely the learning approach experienced by pupils in the classroom.

According to him, education is not only about what is taught, but how the learning process is experienced by pupils, so that meaningful learning experiences become the key to shaping deeper understanding.

“We want to improve our education problems from the upstream, namely from the learning approach that we develop, which we call Deep Learning or Pembelajaran Mendalam,” said Minister Mu’ti in a written statement in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He explained that Deep Learning is built on the main principles of being Mindful, Meaningful, and Joyful, which place the pupil’s learning experience at the centre.

According to him, the essence of Deep Learning lies in the attitude towards viewing the learning process, where the quality of the process becomes the main factor determining success, and it must be supported by a perspective that respects every pupil.

“Deep Learning is learning that we want to carry out with the basic principle of honouring. The key word is honouring: honouring pupils, honouring teachers, and honouring knowledge. Above all that is our perspective in viewing every pupil; pupils must be honoured regardless of their academic ability, regardless of their economic background, regardless of any other background in Deep Learning,” said the Minister.

According to him, events such as the Apresiasi Karya Implementasi Pembelajaran Mendalam (Aksi PM) at the vocational high school (SMK) level do not merely focus on competition, but serve as a platform of appreciation for SMK teachers to answer challenges, explore new learning strategies, and disseminate good practices that can be replicated.

Through the event, he said the learning process and journey are assessed comprehensively, starting from problem identification, pedagogical choices, to the concrete impact on students.

“Aksi PM is a space of appreciation for SMK teachers who have implemented Deep Learning in the classroom. The works displayed depict the learning journey as a whole, from the problems faced, the pedagogical strategies chosen, to evidence of learning and supporting documents. In other words, what we assess is not merely how good the poster is, but how deeply the learning has changed the pupil’s learning experience,” said Tatang.

According to him, excellent vocational education requires teachers who continue to learn and innovate in order to prepare students to face future challenges.

For information, the Aksi PM series took place from 22 July to 9 August 2026, involving 250 educational units targeted for training in 2025, until 10 best works were selected to receive various award categories.