Global Education Executives

INDONESIA​

 

Situated in between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Indonesia is one of the most diverse countries in the world, with a population of over 280 million people and 1300 recognized ethnic groups. Despite its mass being broken up over 17,000 islands, it is recognized as the world’s third largest democracy and is considered a middle power. Because of this, it is able to support the world’s fourth-largest education system, which is widely accessible to its youth thanks to the government’s efforts in the 2000s. According to WENR, the educational reforms included “decentralization of parts of its school system, improvements in teacher training standards, and sizable increases in education spending (as a share of the national budget).” Education is also compulsory and generally free for the first 12 years, meaning students are guaranteed some form of schooling for most of their adolescence. This has allowed students to not only have access to school but also ensure that they stay enrolled. Indonesia boasts of a particularly large youth population; over 40% of the population is under the age of 25, driving the emphasis on accessible education in the country.

 

Despite their admirable efforts towards accessible education, however, Indonesia is currently struggling with the next step, which is ensuring that their education is high-quality on top of being accessible. Indonesian students are said to have lower literacy rates than other Southeast Asian countries, and the enrollment rate of students in tertiary schools remains alarmingly low. As with most countries, a lack of resources and trained personnel contributes to the struggle for quality education, but Indonesia’s biggest obstacle is the government’s lack of financial investment. Governmental expenditure on education has stagnated over the last decade, resulting in a lack of quality and well-equipped teachers and disparities in student learning outcomes. This has caused the overall structure of the Indonesian education system to grow weaker and reduce in quality.

 

Nevertheless, there have been movements towards bettering education whenever possible in Indonesia. UNICEF, for example, particularly focuses on the marginalized and impoverished communities in Indonesia, ensuring that underprivileged youth between the ages 3-18 can access some sort of education and at least improve their living situation. Study abroad programs, like the government-funded Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education, have also encouraged students to seek quality education abroad; although small, they are gaining popularity and increasing the education levels of aspiring Indonesian students.

 

With the expansion of Indonesia’s GDP and global power comes the call to better the existing foundation of education. Despite the need to bridge the gap between accessible education and quality education, Indonesia’s growing economic development speaks promise for the future of their education system.

 

References

1. Rosser, Andrew. (February 21, 2018). Beyond access: Making Indonesia’s education systemwork. Lowy Institute.https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/beyond-access-making-indonesia-s-educationsystem-work

2. UNICEF. (n.d.). Education and Adolescents. UNICEF.https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/education-and-adolescents

3. WENR. (March 21, 2019.) Education in Indonesia. World Education News + Review.https://wenr.wes.org/2019/03/education-in-indonesia-2

4. Wikipedia. (n.d.). Indonesia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia