Jakarta East City Government Strengthens 13-Year Compulsory Education to Prevent Out-of-School Children

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Jakarta East City Government (Pemkot Jaktim) continues to strengthen its commitment to improving education quality while preventing out-of-school children (ATS) through the 13-year compulsory education policy. “We hope that through this policy, no more school-age children will be left behind or drop out. Everyone must receive fair, equitable, and quality education access,” said Jakarta East Mayor Munjirin at the opening of the advocacy socialisation activity for local government at the Jakarta East Mayor’s Office on Monday. This activity serves as a concrete step by the government to provide the widest possible education access for children, from preschool to upper secondary levels. Additionally, the programme is accompanied by the signing of a joint commitment between the DKI Jakarta Education Quality Assurance Agency, local government, Education Office, and the Jakarta East City Early Childhood Education Coordinator. “All relevant parties are involved to strengthen synergy in implementing the One-Year Preschool Compulsory Education programme and handling Out-of-School Children (ATS),” Munjirin stated. In his speech, Munjirin also emphasised that this activity is a strategic step to ensure no school-age children are left behind in obtaining education. “The active role of the community, including the PKK Mobilisation Team and neighbourhood units, is considered very important in conducting direct data collection at residents’ homes to identify children at risk of dropping out,” he said. Furthermore, Munjirin reminded the importance of vigilance against various challenges in the education environment, such as bullying, which can be one factor making children reluctant to continue schooling. Therefore, accurate data collection and community involvement are key to ensuring no child is overlooked. This will create a safe and comfortable education environment. The Jakarta East City Government will continue to support the implementation of this policy through strengthening programmes and budget allocations in the education sector. Efforts to improve the quality of educators are also a priority to support better education quality in the region. On this occasion, Munjirin invited all elements, from government, business world, to the wider community, to actively participate in the success of this programme. “With a spirit of togetherness, we are optimistic about realising a young generation that is intelligent, characterful, and ready to face future challenges,” he said. Through this cross-sector synergy, Munjirin hopes the 13-year compulsory education policy can run optimally, while reducing the number of out-of-school children and improving human resource quality in the capital, especially in the Jakarta East area.