MPR: Strengthening inclusive teacher competence requires comprehensive strategy

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lestari Moerdijat has stated that accelerating the strengthening of teacher competence to realise inclusive education must be supported by accurate data and a comprehensive strategy.

‘A significant gap remains between the need for and the availability of competent teachers in the field. Therefore, a comprehensive strategy is required to accelerate the improvement of teacher competence in implementing inclusive education,’ Lestari said in a statement received in Jakarta on Saturday.

Based on data from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education as of September 2025, there are 363,921 students with disabilities across Indonesia. Of these, 199,375 students are studying in 60,910 educational units that provide inclusive education.

‘Efforts to increase the number of teachers capable of educating children with special needs must be realised immediately. This is not only a matter of quantity, but also the quality of competence that must be pursued,’ she said.

Lestari, who is familiarly called Rerie, believes that accelerating the improvement of teacher competence requires concrete and measurable steps. She supports the government’s programme targeting training for 1,500 teachers in 25 provinces throughout 2026 to reach an advanced level.

However, the member of House Commission X reminded that this target is still far from the national need. ‘The government must be consistent and aggressive. The training programme launched by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education is a good initial step, but it must not stop there. We need to look at the ideal ratio,’ she said.

Rerie also stressed that improving teacher competence should not focus solely on technical aspects. According to her, the success of inclusive education is determined by the teacher’s ability to understand each child’s needs and adapt teaching methods.

‘Teachers are agents of change who must possess critical thinking and humanity. They must receive support from all parties so they can translate the national education philosophy into inclusive and adaptive learning practices, especially in the digital era,’ Lestari said.