If a child cannot enroll in a school, how could a country claim itself as a civil society?
Jakarta (ANTARA) - House of Representatives' (DPR RI's) Deputy Speaker Rachmat Gobel invited Uzbekistan to develop Indonesia-Uzbekistan friendship schools to bolster bilateral relations.

"Establish an Uzbek school in Indonesia and establish an Indonesian school in Uzbekistan. Those schools would also teach about the friendship between our countries," Gobel noted in a statement on Wednesday.


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Gobel's statements were delivered while meeting Uzbek Minister of Public Education Bakhtiyor Saidov in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Tuesday (November 15, 2022) local time, on the sidelines of the UNESCO's World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education.

The deputy speaker's suggestion aims to respond to Saidov's query on how Uzbekistan could learn more about the education system in Indonesia.

Gobel said that instead of natural resources, the quality of human resources is more pivotal to the progress of a country. He also said that inclusive, equitable, and reachable education is a prerequisite of a civic society.

"If a child cannot enroll in a school, how could a country claim itself as a civil society? If all children enroll in schools, how could a country not progress? The government and the parliament must brave all stakes to develop national education," he stated.

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At the same meeting, the deputy speaker informed the Uzbek minister about Indonesia's efforts in achieving inclusive and equitable education for the people through the issuance of Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 10 of 1973 on the development of primary schools nationwide.

As of 2022, Indonesia already has 174,992 primary schools and 121,973 kindergartens while achieving a 1:15 ratio of teacher and pupils in primary school and a 1:10 ratio of teacher and pupils in kindergartens, he noted while adding that Indonesia remains committed to developing early-age education centres in every village.

He encouraged countries to collaborate in the development of education through student and teacher exchanges, joint research and training, transfer of knowledge, language and vocational education cooperation, and other activities that benefit the sector.

"The best investment is in the education sector, particularly early-age education," Gobel remarked.

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Translator: Risbiani F, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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