Basic Education in Indonesia

Education in Indonesia is mandated by the Pancasila (Indonesian State Philosophy and Ideology) and its Constitution. Consequently, the government must provide basic education to every single Indonesian. The participation rate of students at the basic education level, as well as the number of schools and the teacher-student ratios, has shown positive trends. These trends, however, do not hide the fact that Indonesia still struggles with issues of access and equality in terms of infrastructure, teacher quality, Internet access, and accessibility and parity for disabled students and those of minority groups. Clear gaps in access to technology for schools in remote and rural areas and the inability to use technology by teachers, students, and parents surfaced when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2020, compelling schools to shift their medium of instruction. This chapter reports the historical development of Indonesia’s basic education and highlights its recent improvements and challenges.