"The Independent Teaching platform that we launched earlier this year was designed to meet the teachers' needs for space to learn, work, and collaborate," the minister noted in his remarks at the 2022 National Teachers' Day commemoration here on Friday.
Makarim further remarked that the platform was created on the basis of on-field needs rather than the ministry's wishes. Thus, it is a big change in the way that the government works in serving the community.
Through the platform, teachers can access teaching modules for free, upload and share good teaching practices, and get connected with their counterparts from other regions.
"I thank the more than 1.6 million users of the Independent Teaching Platform, namely teachers, who are willing to try new things, who are not afraid to innovate, and who are aware and understand that the time for transformation has come," he remarked.
The ministry is also opening vast opportunity for teachers to participate in the Guru Penggerak (Pioneer Teachers) Program that aims to produce a new generation of leaders in Indonesia's education system.
"They (Pioneer Teachers) are teachers, who put students first in every decision, who are able to become mentors for other teachers, and have the courage to make breakthroughs in striving for the best for their students. This is the new generation of school principals and supervisors," he explained.
Currently, at least 50 thousand Pioneer Teachers and more teachers in the country will be encouraged to become Pioneer Teachers to lead the change in Indonesia's education.
The minister expressed optimism that all regional heads would appoint Pioneer Teachers as school principals and supervisors and become innovators in schools and their surroundings.
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Translator: Indriani, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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