Mudik, Reading, and the Day of Victory
More than just a journey home, mudik is a social ritual, a space to fulfil longing, and a moment for reflection after a year of grappling with routines. The congested traffic and bustling terminals, stations, and airports leave a hint of hope to be achieved: returning to one’s origins, self-improvement, and celebrating victory. Amid the hustle and bustle of the mudik journey, evaluative questions are very much worth asking. What do we actually bring home besides souvenirs and travel stories?
This annual hallmark agenda can be used as a reflection on what has and has not been achieved over the past year. Not to compare oneself with others, but to measure whether one has become better than the previous year or not. Mudik and the day of victory will feel more fulfilling and meaningful if accompanied by the willingness to continuously improve and realise one’s best potential.
As one of the important pillars in knowledge acquisition, reading activities need to be promoted to all of society in various opportunities. This is none other than to form independent and proficient learners. After all, almost everything humans need has been poured into written documents. In short, literacy skills are the foundation for building personal and national quality.
Learning to develop oneself is a long and winding journey, much like mudik. Enlivening mudik activities with reading means fully experiencing the meaning of the journey, from physical journeys to journeys of knowledge, and from personal journeys to journeys for building civilisation.
THE WINDING ROAD OF INDONESIAN LITERACY
Reading is often viewed as an indicator of a nation’s progress because it is directly related to the quality of human resources and innovation. Data from Ceoworld Magazine (2024) shows that countries like the United States and India top the list with an average of 16-17 books read per year, while China has seen a significant increase in children’s reading interest over the past decade, and Singapore leads in the ASEAN region.
This contrasts sharply with Indonesia, which still faces literacy challenges. The PISA 2018 results placed Indonesia in the bottom 10 out of 77 countries, reinforced by UNESCO findings that reading habits remain very low.
Nevertheless, there are positive developments: in PISA 2022, Indonesia showed an improvement of 5-6 positions, including gains in literacy, mathematics, and science. This rise in ranking occurred alongside a decline in scores for almost all students worldwide due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This means that homework to improve student literacy quality, with or without PISA exams, must be a serious concern.
If examined simply, there are at least several fundamental issues that still hinder literacy progress in Indonesia. First, the availability of reading materials that are not always aligned with children’s needs and interests, both in terms of quantity and quality.
Second, the distribution of quality books that has not reached all regions evenly, so access to reading remains a privilege for certain groups.
Third, the limited professional human resources specifically focused on developing the literacy ecosystem, from reading guidance to strengthening literacy culture in society.
Various programmes to increase reading interest have actually been actively promoted for a long time. However, attention to more fundamental aspects, namely the joy of reading, has not fully become a priority. Yet, that personal drive is often the key to fostering sustainable reading habits. When reading brings joy, the activity no longer feels like a heavy task, but a personal need done voluntarily.
This phenomenon is easily found in everyday life. Children or teenagers who like comics, for example, can remember characters, plotlines, and even event details very well without needing to study hard. Conversely, readings that do not match interests are often difficult to understand and quickly forgotten even if just read.
This simple phenomenon shows that building a literacy culture is not enough just by providing books, but also by creating enjoyable and meaningful reading experiences for the readers.
All related parties, especially the government, need to work together to address the above problems. The selection and provision of quality reading materials focused on children’s interests and reading abilities must be absolutely carried out. Then, the printing and distribution of books evenly throughout Indonesia, with a focus on underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost regions (3T), must be prioritised.
This needs to be accompanied by training and guidance for all parties involved in literacy activities, such as teachers, librarians, and literacy activists, to enhance their professionalism in managing readings and organising more enjoyable literacy activities.
MUDIK ASYIK BACA BUKU 2026
This year, an interesting sight appeared at several mudik traffic points. Through the Mudik Asyik Baca Buku 2026 programme, the Agency for Language Development and Cultivation under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) distributed tens of thousands of quality reading books to mudik travellers at various public facilities such as stations, terminals, ports, and airports.
As many as 24,000 books were distributed to mudik travellers, especially children, in various departure cities, an increase from the previous year. These books are not just travel souvenirs, but a symbolic message: that physical journeys can be experienced while also becoming journeys of the intellect.