MPR Leader: Expansion of Distance Learning Requires Serious Commitment from Regional Governments
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Speaker of the MPR RI, Lestari Moerdijat, emphasised that the expansion of distance learning (PJJ) implementation for secondary education levels across 34 provinces by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) must be met with serious preparedness from regional governments, both technical and non-technical.
“The success of this PJJ programme heavily depends on the readiness of digital infrastructure in the regions, the capacity of educators, and the accuracy of data on out-of-school children (ATS) who are the primary targets,” Lestari stated in her remarks in Jakarta on Monday.
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen), through the Directorate General of Secondary Education and Special Education, is expanding the implementation of secondary-level PJJ to 34 provinces this year.
This expansion follows the successful pilot of secondary-level PJJ for Indonesian migrant workers’ children in Malaysia in 2025.
The expansion targets 3,500 out-of-school children (ATS) to enable them to return to school as part of efforts to realise quality, inclusive, and equitable education.
Lestari opined that the expansion to all provinces, especially in 3T (disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost) areas, presents far greater complexity compared to the overseas pilot.
“Do not let the same mistakes be repeated as during the COVID-19 pandemic, where several obstacles emerged, including teachers unprepared to conduct PJJ, parents burdened by online methods, and ultimately a decline in student learning quality. Therefore, it is important to prepare thoroughly,” she said.
The member of Commission X of the DPR RI assessed that telecommunications infrastructure issues pose the main challenge, given that not all regions have stable connectivity.
“Readiness of supporting facilities and infrastructure related to digital infrastructure must also be ensured,” Lestari stated.
Rerie appreciated Kemendikdasmen’s steps in 2025, which have distributed interactive digital boards, laptops, and external hard drives to 288,865 educational units.
However, she emphasised that devices alone are insufficient without readiness of human resources on the ground.
“Educators must be ensured to have the skills to operate and manage those devices,” she added.
Rerie affirmed that the continuity of quality teaching and learning processes for every child of the nation is vital to realising a competitive future generation.