Strategic Solutions to Address Low Literacy
Literacy serves as the primary foundation for human resource development in the 21st century. In an increasingly competitive global context, literacy skills extend beyond mere reading and writing to encompass critical thinking, understanding information, and processing knowledge for decision-making. However, various indicators reveal that Indonesia’s literacy levels remain relatively low compared to other countries.
The results of the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) indicate that Indonesian students’ reading literacy scores are still far below the average for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, placing them in the global bottom tier. This situation underscores that Indonesia’s literacy challenges are structural and require comprehensive interventions.
The government has established several policies, such as the National Literacy Movement (GLN) and the Minimum Competency Assessment (AKM). Yet, the outcomes achieved have not been optimal. This is suspected to stem from systemic obstacles that need in-depth analysis.
Factors Causing Low Literacy
One primary factor influencing low literacy is the weak reading culture in society. UNESCO data shows that Indonesians’ interest in reading remains very low, with only a small portion of the population habitually reading actively. From the perspective of cultural capital theory (Bourdieu, 1986), the low reading culture reflects a lack of internalisation of literacy values within families and communities. Literacy has not yet become a habitus or socially inherited habit across generations.
The second causative factor is disparities in access and literacy infrastructure. The availability of literacy facilities, such as libraries, reading gardens, and quality reading materials, is still uneven, particularly in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions. Many schools lack adequate literacy facilities, thereby limiting students’ access to reading materials. From the viewpoint of educational inequality theory, these access disparities reinforce social inequality reproduction, where disadvantaged groups fall further behind in literacy.
The third factor is the quality of teaching and teacher competence. Literacy education in schools often remains focused on basic reading skills rather than deep comprehension (reading comprehension). The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education has even emphasised that the main issue is not the ability to read text, but to understand its content. Additionally, teachers’ limited capacity to develop contextual, critical thinking-based literacy instruction poses a challenge. This aligns with research findings that low literacy is also caused by teachers’ limited pedagogical competence and ineffective teaching methods.
The fourth factor is the unsupportive family and social environment. The family, as the first environment in literacy formation, often does not function optimally. Many parents lack the awareness or ability to cultivate reading habits in children. Educational ecology theory affirms that individual development is greatly influenced by the immediate environment. When the family environment does not support it, children’s literacy development is hindered.
The fifth factor is digital disruption and changes in information consumption patterns. The development of digital technology has ambivalent impacts on literacy. On one hand, access to information broadens; on the other, the dominance of social media and instant content shifts habits away from deep reading. Greater use of gadgets for entertainment over learning leads to declining interest in books. Within the framework of digital distraction theory, this can reduce concentration and the ability to comprehend complex texts.
The sixth factor is policy fragmentation and coordination among stakeholders. Various literacy policies launched by the government often operate sectorally and lack integration. Literacy programmes have not fully involved various stakeholders synergistically, such as the business world, communities, and professional associations. From the perspective of policy implementation theory (Mazmanian & Sabatier), policy failures frequently occur due to weak coordination among actors and the absence of effective evaluation mechanisms.
Strategic Solution Alternatives
To address literacy problems effectively and efficiently, an ecosystem-based approach involving various actors is needed. First, strengthen the literacy ecosystem through collaboration. In this regard, the government must build cross-sector collaborations involving professional associations, the business world, literacy communities, media, and the creative industry. This approach aligns with collaborative governance concepts, which emphasise synergy among actors in resolving public issues.
Second, transform literacy learning. In relation to this, literacy education must be directed towards higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), critical and analytical literacy, and project-based learning. Teachers need ongoing training to develop innovative literacy instruction.
Third, strengthen the role of families and communities. Measures that can be taken include national reading culture campaigns, providing affordable and accessible reading materials, and enhancing community reading gardens. This approach is crucial for building literacy as a culture, not merely a programme.
Fourth, optimise digital literacy. Rather than viewing technology as