Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti conveyed this during the National Working Meeting of the Muhammadiyah-Aisyiyah Universities (PTMA) Rectors Forum in Malang, East Java, on Friday.
He said the revitalization program covers infrastructure upgrades, school management reform, and capacity building for principals and teachers.
"In 2025, more than 16,100 schools are being revitalized with a budget of Rp16.9 trillion (around US$1 billion)," Mu'ti said.
He added that the government is also improving teacher quality through training and professional certification, allocating 808,000 slots for teacher education and expanding Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programs.
"We want to ensure no teacher's career stalls just because they haven't met academic requirements. Even teaching experience is now recognized up to 70 percent within the RPL scheme," he noted.
The ministry also promotes deep learning programs to strengthen pedagogical capacity and student character, inviting PTMA to participate as training providers and module developers.
Mu'ti said that starting in 2027, English will become a compulsory subject from grade 3 of elementary school, making English teacher education a main focus.
However, he prefers using the term "education" instead of "training" to highlight certification that enhances teachers' credibility.
He stressed that every education policy should be based on strong academic research and philosophical foundations.
"We want education policies not merely to be administrative but to serve as social engineering that shapes national character," Mu'ti said.
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Translator: Endang, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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