Improving Education Quality, Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Implements Universal Participation

Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti has spoken candidly about the state of education in Indonesia ahead of National Education Day on 2 May. He shared these insights during the Edutalk Podcast on CNN Indonesia. Mu’ti stated that the 1945 Constitution and Law No. 20 of 2003 on the National Education System mandate that every Indonesian citizen has the right to quality education and teaching. Nevertheless, many people currently cannot enjoy it. Numerous children and Indonesian communities are still unable to access quality education. Mu’ti explained that based on findings from his ministry, these issues are triggered by several factors. First, the economic conditions of Indonesian society. Second, the remote locations of communities from schools. Third, culture and mindset. Fourth, security problems. “Each factor must be viewed as a challenge whose resolution cannot be taken haphazardly but must be addressed case by case,” he said. Mu’ti noted that the government is not standing idle in addressing all these problems. Regarding the economic factor, for example, the government is implementing the Indonesia Pintar Programme (PIP) to assist with education financing for underprivileged communities. This year, 19.6 million children are targeted by the programme, an increase from 19 million in 2025. The PIP targets not only primary to high school students but also kindergarten children. “This year, we are providing for 888,000. We are giving Rp450,000 per year,” he said. Universal Participation Despite this, Mu’ti acknowledged that the government’s intensive efforts are not yet sufficient. Therefore, his side is implementing a universal participation strategy to make education quality more equitable across Indonesia. The government is collaborating with various parties to improve the quality of education services in the country. One of them is the Tanoto Foundation, UNICEF, local governments, and many other parties. “With the Tanoto Foundation, for example, we have just launched a cooperation to strengthen deep learning. They previously helped with literacy and numeracy,” he said. Meanwhile, with local governments, cooperation includes efforts related to school revitalisation. “We ask for assistance from local governments to ensure smooth implementation without interference or budget cuts; we must work with local governments because many education-related matters cannot be separated from them,” he said.