Jakarta (ANTARA) - Second Lady Selvi Ananda announced the government’s commitment to strengthening early childhood education (PAUD) through a budget allocation of Rp5.1 trillion (US$296 million) in the 2026 state budget draft.
She said the allocation is part of the total education budget of Rp757.8 trillion (US$44 billion) prepared by the government for next year.
“President Prabowo Subianto is firmly committed to improving education quality in pursuit of Golden Indonesia 2045,” Selvi stated at the 2025 National PAUD Teachers Appreciation event on Thursday.
The wife of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming noted that the funds will be used to expand access to education, particularly for toddlers in disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions.
According to 2024 data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the gross enrollment rate for children aged five to six in early education programs stood at 74.15 percent.
Selvi emphasized that this figure serves as an important indicator of participation in early childhood education, showing that roughly one-fourth of children in this age group still lack access to educational services.
She highlighted the vital contribution of communities in establishing private and self-managed PAUD institutions across regions, which have helped expand educational access for children.
Selvi also expressed her appreciation for the dedication of PAUD teachers and educators nationwide, both those under government supervision and those operating privately and independently.
During the event, she underscored the importance of PAUD teachers remaining adaptable and innovative in addressing the diverse challenges of early childhood education.
She added that cross-stakeholder collaboration is key to successfully implementing holistic and integrative PAUD policies in different regions.
Selvi concluded by encouraging PAUD teachers and educators to stay committed to nurturing a generation of excellence and strengthening the foundation of human resource development from an early age.
“PAUD teachers must be motivated and appreciated for teaching children with sincerity and compassion, so they grow up with a sense of love,” she said.
