National Library Proposes Budget Increase to Strengthen Literacy Improvement
The Head of the National Library of Indonesia (Pername), E Aminudin Aziz, stated that a proposal for a budget increase of Rp357.77 billion has been submitted to Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) to strengthen literacy improvement programmes in Indonesia.
“This budget reinforcement is necessary to ensure the sustainability of national priority programmes in the fields of libraries and literacy, including the transformation of libraries based on social inclusion, the strengthening of digital services, the preservation of the nation’s cultural heritage, and the improvement of library service quality throughout Indonesia,” he said in an official statement in Jakarta on Thursday.
Aminudin emphasised that the additional budget is expected to restore Perpusnas’s funding capacity, enabling it to support various priority programmes, including the strengthening of library services and the enhancement of the public’s literacy culture.
Perpusnas is committed to optimising this budget support to expand public access to knowledge sources, strengthen reading culture, and improve community literacy skills as a foundation for Indonesia’s human resource development.
Commission X of the DPR RI also reaffirmed its support for Perpusnas as the spearhead for strengthening national literacy and as a guardian of Nusantara’s civilisation, connecting the past, present, and future. Commission X views that the strengthening of Perpusnas must continue in order to expand public access to library services and knowledge sources.
The Chairperson of Commission X, Hetifah Sjaifudian, assessed that the indicative ceiling for the Perpusnas 2027 Fiscal Year, previously set at Rp367.73 billion, is highly inadequate to support the implementation of programmes and the achievement of national literacy improvement targets.
“Budgetary policy reinforcement for Perpusnas RI is required. Commission X of the DPR RI provides collective support for a more significant budget increase,” said Hetifah.
Hetifah emphasised that the approval of this indicative ceiling will serve as a subject for further discussion during the preparation of the 2027 Fiscal Year State Budget Draft (RAPBN) with the government.
Furthermore, Commission X is also encouraging Perpusnas to prioritise the strengthening of library services in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions, reach marginalised groups, accelerate digital transformation, and strengthen partnerships with regional and school libraries.