MPR Deputy Speaker Highlights Importance of Equitable Education Quality in Indonesia
Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lestari Moerdijat has stressed the importance of achieving equitable education quality, stating that this can be realised through improving teacher competency and enhancing school management across Indonesia.
“The disparity in education quality between public and private schools in Indonesia remains quite significant. Various efforts to improve education quality more equitably must be carried out consistently,” Lestari Moerdijat said in a statement on Friday (20 February 2026).
Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that during the 2024/2025 period, there were 7,562 private senior secondary schools (SMA), equivalent to 51.53 per cent of all senior secondary schools in Indonesia.
However, the high number of private senior secondary schools is not matched by student enrolment figures. Data indicates that during the 2024/2025 period, approximately 73.79 per cent of senior secondary students attended public schools, with the remainder at private institutions.
“A number of obstacles such as economic factors, differences in quality, access, and the educational values offered by private schools remain considerations for parents,” she said.
According to Lestari, concrete steps to improve education quality more equitably must be implemented promptly with the support of all relevant parties.
She stated that efforts to improve and continually update teacher quality and competency must receive serious attention in pursuing equitable improvements in education standards.
To that end, she expressed hope that various efforts to achieve more equitable education quality across the country would receive support from stakeholders and the public, in order to develop nationally competitive human resources for the future.
“Furthermore, improvements in school management must also be realised to make it easier for the public to access quality education,” she concluded.