Minister of Basic and Secondary Education stresses education in Southwest Papua must not be left behind

Sorong - Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti has affirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring all Indonesian children, including those in remote Southwest Papua, have access to decent and quality education.

‘No Indonesian child should miss out on education due to economic hardship, intellectual challenges, physical disabilities, or living in remote areas like Arar Island,’ Abdul Mu’ti said in a statement received in Sorong on Thursday.

He explained that the government, through the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, has prioritised disaster-affected schools, schools in frontier, outermost, and disadvantaged areas (3T), and severely damaged schools as key targets for the 2026 education facility revitalisation programme.

He added that beyond physical school construction, the government is strengthening various education service models to reach communities in remote areas.

‘We are continuously strengthening five education service models: distance learning, single-roof schools, community-based open schools, equivalent education, and vocational training,’ he said.

Abdul Mu’ti also called on all parties to work together to foster a spirit of advancing education to create Indonesia’s 2045 Golden Generation.

‘We share the same determination to advance education across the nation. Let us collectively rekindle this spirit so our children can grow into Indonesia’s 2045 Golden Generation,’ he added.

Meanwhile, Southwest Papua’s Education and Culture Department Head Adolof Kambuaya said the minister’s visit to Arar Island was a significant moment for local communities.

‘This is the first time a minister has reached Arar Island,’ he said.

He explained that Southwest Papua has around 160,000 students, over 1,200 schools, and approximately 10,000 teachers spread across more than 900 villages, making equitable education services a major challenge.

During the visit, the minister also inaugurated renovated education facilities on Arar Island and SD Inpres 27 in Sorong Regency.

One beneficiary of the revitalisation, Meske Salomina Sosir, a student at Arar Island’s Unimuda Senior High School, expressed delight at the improved learning facilities after government renovations.

‘I’m very happy. The classrooms are now usable for learning, and students are more enthusiastic about attending school,’ she said.