Minister Requests Work Flexibility for Civil Servants on Children's First Day of School

Minister for Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) Rini Widyantari has requested that government agencies provide work flexibility for state civil apparatus (ASN) who wish to accompany their children on the first day of school. Rini stated that the flexible working arrangement is expected to allow ASN to support their children without reducing professionalism, productivity, or the quality of public services. “The implementation of this work flexibility must not diminish the quality of governance and public services. On the contrary, we hope that through this policy, ASN can work more focused, be adaptive to developments, and achieve a better life balance,” she said. The appeal is contained in Minister of PANRB Letter Number B/257/M.KT.02/2026, issued on Friday, 10 July, in support of strengthening family resilience and the role of the family for ASN employees. Through the letter, Personnel Development Officers in every government agency are requested to provide opportunities for ASN with children in early childhood education, primary education, and secondary education to accompany their children on the first day of school. The policy refers to Minister of PANRB Regulation Number 4 of 2025 concerning the Flexible Implementation of Official Duties for ASN in Government Agencies. The appeal is also in line with the Father Takes Child to School on the First Day Movement (GAMAS), regulated in the Circular of the Minister of Population and Family Development/Head of BKKBN Number 17 of 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen family resilience and increase parental involvement, especially fathers, in childcare. “The presence of a parent in a child’s development is not merely complementary, but a crucial pillar with profound and long-term impacts. This movement is a simple step that can have a psychological impact by bringing the presence of parents, especially fathers, closer to their children,” said Rini.