"This revitalization is crucial to ensure better PAUD services, especially in areas that still lack adequate facilities," said Nia Nurhasanah, Director of Early Childhood Education at the Ministry, during a dialogue forum with journalists in Jakarta on Friday.
She explained that revitalization efforts include constructing new classrooms, improving facilities and infrastructure, and providing sufficient learning and play equipment.
The Ministry confirmed the urgency of this initiative after identifying around 14,000 villages that still lack access to PAUD services.
To address this, the government is encouraging the establishment of integrated PAUD-elementary schools under one roof as part of its strategy.
"With this one-roof model, elementary school principals can also manage PAUD services, while PAUD teachers will still be specifically prepared," Nia noted.
She emphasized that the policy aims to expand access to early childhood education in disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) areas, particularly in coastal and mountainous regions of eastern Indonesia.
Beyond infrastructure, the revitalization program also targets better governance of PAUD units to ensure they operate more professionally and are integrated with other basic education policies.
"The ultimate goal is to guarantee that every child receives early education as preparation before entering elementary school," she said.
Nia expressed confidence that PAUD revitalization will progress more effectively in the coming years, supported by cross-ministerial, regional government, and private sector collaboration to help ease the significant budget burden.
PAUD is an educational stage for children from birth to six years old, focusing on stimulating their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development to prepare them for formal education.
PAUD includes various institutions such as kindergartens, playgroups, and daycare centers. It provides educational stimulation through play-based learning activities designed to optimize a child's overall development.
This stage serves as a vital bridge for children before entering primary education, ensuring they are well-prepared for the learning environment in kindergarten or elementary school.
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Translator: Primayanti
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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