Indonesia inclusive education and teacher welfare reforms

Indonesian officials and legislators are advocating for systemic improvements to the national education system, with a focus on inclusivity and educator support.

Initial efforts emphasized the ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ program, which aims to move away from uniform teaching patterns toward flexible learning models. Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf noted that individualized assessments are necessary to provide specific social and educational support for underprivileged children and those with disabilities. Additionally, MPR Vice Chair Lestari Moerdijat stressed that inclusive education must integrate family empowerment to help children with disabilities achieve independence.

Subsequent discussions by lawmakers expanded the scope to include teacher welfare and resource shortages. Mardani Ali Sera of Commission II of the DPR RI urged the government to prioritize teacher salary increases and competency training in future budget planning. Concurrently, Moerdijat highlighted a critical shortage of special assistant teachers (GPK), noting that only about 15% of inclusive education units possess the specialized staff required to support the country’s estimated 363,000 students with disabilities.