Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel – Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Mendikbudristek) Nadiem Anwar Makarim invites all elements of the nation to move together to enliven the independent learning program, through the momentum of the commemoration of National Education Day (Hardiknas) 2023.
This was conveyed by Nadiem when he led the commemoration ceremony of Hardiknas 2023 at the Office of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) Jakarta, on Tuesday (2/5/2023).
In the ceremony, which was held in a hybrid manner, the Minister of Education and Culture also conveyed several transformations that have been achieved over the past three years.
“A total of 24 episodes of Merdeka Belajar that have been launched by the Ministry are now bringing education closer to Ki Hadjar Dewantara’s noble ideals, namely education that guides the talents, interests, and potential of students so that they are able to achieve the highest safety and happiness as a human being and member of society,” said the Minister.
Currently, the Minister said, Indonesian children can learn with more peace of mind because their learning activities are assessed more holistically by their own teachers. In addition, it is now easier for principals and regional heads to monitor the implementation of education.
“Principals and regional heads who used to have difficulty monitoring the quality of their education can now use the National Assessment data on the Education Report Card Platform to improve the quality of education services,” said the Minister.
In addition, the Minister revealed that the Merdeka Curriculum emphasizes deep learning to develop characteristics and competencies. In fact, the selection of state universities now focuses on measuring literacy and reasoning skills.
“Students who used to only learn theory in the classroom can now travel the world to seek knowledge and experience outside the campus with the presence of Kampus Merdeka programs,” said the Minister.
Moreover, the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology talked about various achievements in funding education, culture, and technology. In the School Operational Assistance (BOS) and Education Operational Assistance (BOP) fund programs, the Ministry has provided convenience in direct disbursement and flexibility in its use for schools to improve the quality of learning.
Furthermore, the expansion of the scholarship program also provides opportunities to continue education to the tertiary level is now much more open. “The support of matching funds to fund research has also led to many innovations that started from collaboration. The flexible Indonesiana fund can accommodate the creative ideas of artists and cultural actors so that they can produce great works that support the promotion of culture,” the Minister added.
The Minister invited the public to celebrate the transformation achievements with gratitude and excitement for the hard work and cooperation of all parties. The Minister also invited the public to reflect on every challenge that has been faced, as well as every inch of bold steps that have been taken.
“Let us celebrate this day with the spirit to continue the realization of Merdeka Belajar, educate a generation of Pancasila students who are smart with character, and take Indonesia leaping into the future with liberating education,” he said.
In this Hardiknas commemoration, the Minister symbolically presented the Satyalancana Karya Satya Honor Certificate to six people representing 5,685 Civil Servants (PNS) at the Ministry. The award is given to employees for their dedication in carrying out their duties by showing loyalty, skill, honesty, discipline, and having worked continuously for a period of 30 years, 20 years, and 10 years.
This year, Kemendikbudristek still uses the same logo as the previous year with the shape of three elements namely stars, joy, and pens which have meanings in line with the ideals of the Father of Indonesian Education, Ki Hajar Dewantara.
As in previous years, all participants of the Hardiknas ceremony wore traditional clothing from various provinces in Indonesia. This time, the Minister of Research and Technology wore traditional clothing from Aceh Province. A total of 443 officials and employees within the Ministry of Education and Research and representatives of students attended the ceremony offline, and 1,000 participants attended online. The number of online participants consisted of outstanding students, technology ambassadors, Teachers and Principals Activators, students receiving KIP Lectures and ADIK, Laskar Rempah, and students of the MBKM program who also attended the ceremony online.
Also attending the ceremony were Minister of Education and Culture from 1993-1998 in the VI Development Cabinet, Wardiman Djojonegoro; and Minister of National Education from 2004-2009 in the United Indonesia Cabinet, Bambang Sudibyo.
This year’s Hardiknas ceremony was also enlivened by Ruang Bunyi Orchestra and FLS2N 2022 Winning Vocalist, Kita Cinta Lagu Anak (KILA) performance, traditional games from traditional schools, and Jai Bajawa traditional dance from NTT.
