Professor: Independence Day must be momentum to improve education management

Medan (ANTARA) - Defence University Professor Emilda Sulasmi believes the 81st anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia’s independence must serve as a momentum to improve education management in order to realise a sovereign, just, and prosperous Indonesia.

According to Emilda, the independence theme “Sovereign, Just, and Prosperous Indonesia” cannot merely remain a slogan, but needs to be translated into measurable development policies, particularly in the education sector.

“Indonesia will truly be sovereign when its children are able to think independently. Indonesia will become just when birthplace and family economic conditions do not determine the quality of a child’s education. Indonesia will become prosperous when schools are able to open pathways for every citizen to improve their lives,” she said in Medan on Monday.

She said education is a strategic sector for assessing the extent to which sovereignty, justice, and prosperity are genuinely felt by the public.

In the context of education, she said, sovereignty is not only related to the existence of schools, but also the nation’s ability to produce human resources who master knowledge, are capable of independent thought, and are not merely consumers of technology from other countries.

She said the 2025 Indonesia Education Report shows improvements in literacy and numeracy skills during the 2022 to 2024 period.

However, disparities still occur between regions, socio-economic groups, education levels, and between state and private schools.

Therefore, according to Emilda, education management needs to prioritise data-based planning, clear division of authority, budget utilisation according to needs, strengthening of school leadership, and evaluation oriented towards learning outcomes.

She also believes schools need to be given greater room to make decisions regarding the learning process in accordance with the needs of students and regional characteristics.

According to her, school principals and teachers still face administrative burdens that can reduce the time and energy needed to carry out their primary function in learning.

“Educational sovereignty must begin by restoring schools as centres of pedagogical decision-making,” she said.