Jakarta's Efforts to Eradicate Poverty by Facilitating Access to Education

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” said former South African President Nelson Mandela. The vital role of education in enhancing societal welfare was also voiced by the African-American Muslim leader Malcolm X. Malcolm X stated that education is a passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. The statements from both figures illustrate education as the backbone in preparing competent human resources for the future.

This certainly aligns with the nation’s goal of creating Indonesia’s Golden Generation in 2045, so everything must be prepared from an early stage, especially Indonesia’s human resources. To achieve a perfect future, the key is to expand access to education for the entire society, particularly for those who are economically disadvantaged.

The government can certainly intervene to make education easily accessible through various programmes that favour the less fortunate. The constitution also mandates that 20 percent of the APBN or APBD must be allocated to education, which is a constitutional obligation. This is clearly stipulated in Article 31 paragraph 4 of the 1945 Constitution and Article 49 of Law Number 20 of 2003 on the National Education System.

This situation is well understood by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government. DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung and Deputy Governor Rano Karno immediately launched several work programmes that intervene in the education of Jakarta’s children.

The DKI Provincial Government is expanding access to education for underprivileged Jakarta residents as an effort to break the poverty rate or economic misfortune experienced by Jakarta residents. Pramono fully understands the quite high Gini ratio in DKI Jakarta, which indicates economic disparity between the upper and lower classes. This homework often disturbs the sleep of the former State Secretary under President Joko Widodo.

His side is endeavouring to create programmes that facilitate Jakarta residents with weak economic backgrounds in accessing education at various levels.

Actually, this concept has already been used by parents in the past. Parents were determined to provide the best education for their children despite economic difficulties. Parents in the old days had to work hard and toil in the fields, either as farmers or farm labourers.