Prabowo announces quick wins in education in Indonesia

The Star

03-05-2025

JAKARTA: President Prabowo Subianto has launched initiatives to generate major reforms of the country's education system, as he reaffirms his commitment to make education a foundation of his national development agenda.
The initiatives' launch ceremony took place during the celebration of National Education Day on Friday at SDN Cimahpar 5 state elementary school in Bogor, West Java. Indonesia commemorates National Education Day every May 2, the birthday of Indonesian educationalist Ki Hajar Dewantara.
In an event attended by teachers, students and several government officials, the President announced the initiatives, officially called Program Hasil Terbaik Cepat (fast and best results), which he envisioned as part of the government's effort to build a more equitable and effective education system.
Among the key initiatives is the renovation and upgrade of 10,440 educational facilities and school buildings this year, which would cost the nation Rp 17.1 trillion (US$1.02 billion). The programme, which is expected to benefit both public and private schools, aims to provide students with safe and conducive learning environments.
'It might take 30 years to repair all schools, [but] we cannot give up,' Prabowo said. 'We must fix as many schools as possible, as quickly as possible.'
Another plan is distributing smart, interactive television screens to schools across the country to support digital learning and facilitate access to high-quality educational materials, especially in regions lacking specialist teachers. The rollout is set to begin in coming months, with the target of reaching every school by mid-2026.
'Through these screens, we can deliver the best lessons, and this will be especially useful for schools in remote, underdeveloped and outer regions, as well as urban areas that struggle to access quality materials or expert teachers,' said the President.
Recognising the importance of qualified educators, Prabowo said the government would also provide financial aid for teachers to pursue a four-year diploma degree or a bachelor's degree. Each eligible teacher will receive Rp 3 million per semester to support their studies.
The government would also give a monthly cash stipend amounting Rp 300,000 to contract teachers, said the President. The money is expected to provide financial relief for teachers who often work long hours for minimal pay, especially those who are not yet officially certified or promoted to the status of permanent teacher and civil servant.
In his speech on Friday, Prabowo expressed his commitment to streamlining budget use and cutting unnecessary spending to fund school repairs and push for education innovation, asserting that education would remain a top priority in his administration.
Education has received a large portion of this year's state budget with Rp 724 trillion, up about nine percent from the Rp 665 trillion allocated in 2024. The President has repeatedly claimed that the 2025 figure was the biggest in the country's history.
But he blamed persistent corruption for hindering reform in the education sector, which is marked by many schools remaining in poor condition. 'How can a school have only one toilet? Where has the money been going?' Prabowo said, urging officials at all levels to act in the service of the public rather than for personal gain.
'Good start' Education expert Doni Koesoema from Multimeda Nusantara University (UMN) called the initiatives 'concrete', noting that school renovations are important and urgent as thousands of schools nationwide still have poor infrastructure.
'The plan is a good start for Prabowo's first year,' Doni said, 'but it must continue every year throughout his presidency so that it can strengthen students' access to education, which is a goal of the 2025-2045 National Long-Term Development Plan [RPJPN].'
He added that the planned financial assistance for contract teachers and teachers without undergraduate degrees would improve the educators' welfare and, in turn, the quality of education.
However, education observer Ina Liem said Prabowo's string of programmes may be too dependent on goods and services procurement, which is prone to misappropriation of funds, an aspect she called 'the root problem of the country's education issues'.
'There's no such need for a ton of programmes [to fix the education system]. If we can fix our people's corruptive mentality, we can address most problems in our education system,' Ina said. She also said that Prabowo's plans lacked urgency, pointing out that smart TVs 'are more necessary for government employees to improve their digitalised system to fight corruption' rather than for students. - The Jakarta Post/ANN