Ki Hajar Dewantara (Father of Education in Indonesia) has said that anyone can become a teacher and every home can serve as a school -- means that education can be conducted anywhere, anytime, and by anyone.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Puan Maharani expects that the commemoration of National Education Day (Hardiknas) on May 2, 2022, can encourage the education sector in Indonesia to advance.

Maharani emphasized in her statement here on Monday that it was not only the government, teachers, and students responsible in advancing the education sector but also all people in the country.

"Ki Hajar Dewantara (Father of Education in Indonesia) had said that anyone can become a teacher and every home can serve as a school -- means that education can be conducted anywhere, anytime, and by anyone," she remarked.

For instance, parents can take part in teaching their children at home, especially since the school must be held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she stated.

"The children’s first educators are their parents," she remarked.


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Furthermore, the government has an important role to play in building quality and equitable education throughout Indonesia, the speaker emphasized.

Maharani lauded several government programs that have encouraged equitable access to education, such as the Indonesia Smart Cards (KIP), which provides opportunities for underprivileged students to pursue their education up to undergraduate level.

She stated that implementation of the KIP program reflects the government’s concerns over the development of Indonesian human resources.

“I expect that there are no Indonesian children, who cannot take up any higher education due to financial difficulties," she stated.


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Furthermore, Maharani stressed that education is very important for Indonesia to become a developed country. Moreover, currently, the nation is having a demographic bonus since most members of its population belong to the productive age group.

Equitable access to education is important to be able to produce quality human resources, she emphasized.

"The total number of our population reaches around 270 million– the world’s fourth largest. It is an extraordinary opportunity for Indonesia (to become an advanced country) since the development of a nation depends on the improvement of its human resources,” she added.


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Translator: Syaiful Hakim, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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