The award was handed over by the ministry's Director General of Culture, Hilmar Farid, during the awarding event at the Prambanan Temple Complex on Monday, May 29.
Apart from antaranews.com, the ministry also awarded four other online media and five printed media.
The ministry's Secretary General, Suharti, stated that the 2023 Merdeka Belajar Awards are given to media, inspiring figures, and partners who have recorded achievements and supported education and cultural policies.
She noted that, in addition to the media, the awards were also given to 19 inspiring figures and 33 partners from the ministry, government institutions, business and industry actors, domestic non-governmental and public organizations, and international organizations.
Suharti also commended the award recipients for their contributions to educational and cultural development, especially those made by the media and inspiring figures.
"They have shown creativity, innovation, and persistence in achieving their goals. They have also contributed to the development of science and technology in Indonesia and the world," she stated.
Meanwhile, Minister Nadiem Makarim noted that over the last three years, the ministry had strived to involve more people in the Merdeka Belajar Program to transform and develop national education.
"The ministry is optimistic that by returning the Indonesian educational system to its roots -- to the vision of Ki Hajar Dewantara -- our children will be advanced successors of this nation," Makarim stated, referring to the national hero and the first minister of education, Ki Hajar Dewantara.
Before the award presentation night, the ministry organized the Merdeka Belajar Carnival at Yogyakarta's kilometer zero point on Sunday, May 28, to kickstart the commemoration of the 2023 National Education Day. The day is celebrated every May 2, which coincides with Dewantara's birthday.
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Translator: Wuryanti P, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Anton Santoso
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