MPR Deputy Speaker: The Challenges of the Times Demand Transformation of the Education System
Currently, we are at a crossroads where the national education philosophy has not yet been fully translated into the learning curriculum, while facing various challenges of the times that demand transformation of several existing systems,” said Rerie, her familiar nickname, in her statement on Thursday (7/5/2026).
She expressed this when opening an online discussion themed ‘The Dilemma of Future and Past Education: Where is the Direction of Indonesian Education?’ organised by the Denpasar 12 Discussion Forum on Wednesday (6/5).
According to her, the national education system cannot be implemented based solely on market logic. More than that, the national education system must be implemented within a broader framework, namely enlightening the nation’s life, as mandated by the constitution.
Rerie, who is also a member of Commission X of the DPR RI, encouraged all relevant parties to be able to implement the education system within the appropriate framework.
The member of the NasDem Party’s High Council opined that the changes in the demands of the current era do not solely require an education system that prioritises academic aspects and competence alone. However, it also requires an education system that can produce graduates with character and a strong understanding of cultural and national values.
The Director of Institutions at the Directorate General of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology RI, Mukhamad Najib, revealed that one of the goals of implementing the current national education system is to realise the vision of Indonesia 2045, namely a united, sovereign, advanced, and sustainable Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
Najib revealed that in 2025, the number of higher education institutions in Indonesia was recorded at 4,416, producing 1.7 million graduates each year. Viewed from the number of higher education institutions, both public and private, efforts to realise the Indonesia 2045 vision are quite serious.
However, it is very regrettable that most of the existing higher education institutions currently do not yet have adequate quality. Najib acknowledged that higher education institutions in Indonesia are still teaching universities, not fully research universities.
“It requires massive efforts to improve the quality of national higher education institutions so that they can anticipate the challenges of the times,” said Najib.
Meanwhile, Professor at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Indonesia, Melani Budianta, opined that she does not want education to be reduced only for the sake of the market and industry.
According to Melani, education today must be able to produce children of the nation who can address increasingly complex challenges. Currently, said Melani, multidimensional transformations are occurring in various sectors, such as environmental aspects, urban migration, digital transformation, and social cohesion crises.
“Our society today is vulnerable to the various impacts of these multidimensional transformations,” she said.
According to Melani, the current education system is losing its soul in building collective memory and cultural heritage to students, which is very important in building their character.