Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education Emphasises Women's Empowerment as Key to Literacy

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Language Development and Cultivation Agency (Badan Bahasa) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology emphasises the crucial role of women, particularly mothers and educators, in building the foundation of national children’s literacy through a lecture titled “Empowering Women through Education to Improve Literacy”. The event specifically featured inspiring stories about changes in mindset and improvements in reading and writing abilities of primary school students from literacy fighters in East Nusa Tenggara Province (NTT) who are united through the Indonesia School Innovation (INOVASI) programme, an education partnership between the Indonesian Government and the Australian Government. Head of the Language Agency of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen), Hafidz Muksin, in Jakarta on Wednesday, asserted that improving literacy is not just the task of teachers in the classroom, but a collective responsibility that starts from the child’s closest environment. According to him, the involvement of female figures and the local ecosystem in NTT serves as concrete evidence of the success of educational collaboration. He added that strengthening literacy must touch three main domains, namely schools, communities, and families. Hafidz assessed that the role of women is very central in enlivening the culture of speaking and reading at home before children enter formal levels. He also expressed his hope that good practices of collaboration in NTT Province can be continued in other regions. His side also appreciates INOVASI as a development partner in the education sector and the NTT Provincial Government which has supported literacy improvement in its area through various programmes and approaches.