Prabowo Pushes for Free Education Expansion Amidst PISA Score Challenges

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto wants to expand free education from kindergarten to state universities. However, the equalization of access to education is still faced with the problem of learning quality. The results of PISA 2025 show that the reading, mathematics, and science skills of Indonesian students are still below the OECD average. Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno said the President emphasized two things in a limited meeting at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Wednesday, September 23. The two are equitable access and improving the quality of education. "How does this education reach all children in all economic strata, but at the same time also improve quality," said Pratikno. The issue of quality is seen in the results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on September 8. Indonesian students' reading scores reached 365, up from 359 in 2022. Science scores increased from 383 to 389, while mathematics decreased slightly from 366 to 364. Statistically, the OECD said the results of the three areas were relatively unchanged compared to 2022. Another question is the basic ability of students. Only 17 percent of Indonesian students aged 15 years old have reached the minimum level of proficiency in mathematics. This figure is far below the OECD average of 65 percent. This means that most students who take PISA have not reached the basic level of ability to use mathematics to solve everyday problems. In the midst of this condition, the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu'ti said that the government is preparing to improve the quality of teachers through various trainings whose financing will be sought from the state budget. Prabowo also emphasized the commitment to provide free education in state schools from kindergarten to secondary education. The government will expand the Indonesia Smart Program (PIP) for kindergarten children from families who are unable to start in 2027. Meanwhile, the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto said the government was still calculating the budget needs to make college tuition free at state universities. The government formed a special team led by Pratikno to deepen the calculation. The results are targeted to be available in two weeks to one month before being reported back to the President.