Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education offers 150,000 scholarships for teachers to pursue D4 and bachelor's degrees

The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) is committed to enhancing the competence and quality of teachers across Indonesia by providing 150,000 scholarships for D4 and bachelor’s degree programmes. Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti, speaking in Manokwari, West Papua, on Saturday, stated that strengthening pedagogical infrastructure and improving teacher capacity are crucial for fostering a high-quality education ecosystem in the future. “Teachers without D4 or bachelor’s qualifications will be offered scholarships through a prior learning recognition system,” said Abdul Mu’ti. This aligns with Law No. 14 of 2005 on Teachers and Lecturers, which mandates that teachers at all basic and secondary education levels hold at least a Diploma IV (D4) or bachelor’s degree (S1). “Approximately 200,000 teachers in Indonesia lack D4 or bachelor’s qualifications. We are not dwelling on the past; this year, we have allocated scholarships,” the minister added. He explained that teachers with at least D4 or bachelor’s qualifications can join the Professional Teacher Education (PPG) programme to obtain professional certification, a prerequisite for receiving teaching allowances. The ministry also provides various teacher training programmes funded by the state budget (APBN) and School Operational Assistance (BOS), including deep learning, coding, and artificial intelligence (AI) utilisation. “Additional priority training includes school principals, English language, and other areas essential for education sector advancement,” he said. Additionally, Kemendikdasmen has expanded the revitalisation programme’s scope beyond school infrastructure repairs to include school fencing and clean water facilities. Furthermore, the ministry is constructing and renovating teacher housing in 3T (most remote, outermost, and underdeveloped) regions, building places of worship within school premises, and providing other school-specific facilities. “This ensures teachers in geographically challenging areas do not need to commute daily, as official housing is provided,” Abdul said.