MPR Urges Acceleration of Inclusive Education Teacher Competency
Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lestari Moerdijat has urged the government to accelerate the improvement of teacher competency to strengthen the implementation of inclusive education in Indonesia. She stressed that such efforts must be supported by accurate data and a comprehensive strategy.
“There is still a wide gap between the need and the availability of competent teachers in the field. Therefore, a comprehensive strategy is needed to accelerate the improvement of teacher competency in delivering inclusive education,” Lestari said in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday.
Based on data from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education as of September 2025, there are 363,921 students with disabilities across Indonesia. Of that number, 199,375 students are enrolled in 60,910 educational units designated as inclusive education providers (SPPI).
However, Lestari revealed that only about 15 per cent of SPPIs have special guidance teachers (GPK). She described this condition as a serious obstacle to achieving equitable education services for all learners.
“Efforts to increase the number of teachers capable of educating children with special needs must be realised immediately. This is not just about quantity, but also the quality of competence that must be pursued,” said the politician familiarly known as Rerie.
The member of House of Representatives Commission X assessed that improving teacher competency must be carried out through concrete, measurable, and sustainable actions. She expressed support for the government’s programme targeting the training of 1,500 teachers across 25 provinces throughout 2026 to reach a certain proficiency level.
Nevertheless, Rerie cautioned that this target remains far from meeting the national requirement. According to data from the Directorate General of Teachers and Education Personnel (GTK), there are currently 2,663 teachers who qualify as candidates for the training. Additionally, there is a potential pool of 5,129 more candidates through an equivalency scheme.
“The government must be consistent and aggressive. The training programme launched by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is a good first step, but it must not stop there. We need to look at the ideal ratio,” she said.