House of Representatives Appreciates Decline in School Dropout Rates in Indonesia

The government must not become complacent because school dropout rates are still very high. The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) must continue to work hard to reduce those rates. Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Muhammad Hilman Mufidi, appreciates the government’s achievement in reducing school dropout rates across all educational levels over the past five years. According to Hilman, this decline in dropout rates demonstrates the hard work of the government and all education stakeholders in expanding access to education and ensuring its continuity for Indonesian children. “The decline in school dropout rates is certainly worthy of appreciation. This shows the hard work of the government and all education stakeholders,” Hilman said in Jakarta on Thursday. Based on data from the 2020/2021 to 2024/2025 academic years, dropout rates have decreased across all educational levels, from primary schools (SD) to upper secondary schools (SMA/SMK). The most significant decline occurred at the SMA and SMK levels. Nevertheless, Hilman reminds the government not to become complacent too quickly. According to him, the dropout numbers, which still reach tens of thousands of students, pose a major challenge that must be addressed seriously and sustainably. “The government must not become complacent because school dropout rates are still very high. The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) must continue to work hard to reduce those rates,” he stated. “The number of student dropouts must be prevented so that Indonesian children receive proper education services. This way, the quality of Indonesia’s human resources will also improve,” he added. Commission X of the House of Representatives, Hilman continued, will continue to push for strengthening education policies that favour equitable access and improvement in the quality of national education.