Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto outlined the Indonesian government's vision and achievements in the education sector before British academicians at the United Kingdom–Indonesia Education Roundtable at Lancaster House in London on Tuesday (Jan. 20).
"I believe that education is key to a nation's success. For a nation to succeed, it must develop education to the highest standard. This is my belief," he remarked.
The president went on to say that education serves as one of the main instruments for countries to alleviate poverty in the pursuit of social justice.
"Education and healthcare are intertwined and stand as the most promising instruments to nurture a just and equitable society. We require high-quality human resources to build strong education and health sectors," Prabowo affirmed.
He further highlighted his administration's commitment to human development, highlighting ongoing efforts to establish tuition-free, quality boarding schools for children from families classified as poor or extremely poor under the Sekolah Rakyat (People's School) program.
"In my view, this kind of initiative is needed to break what experts call the cycle of poverty," Prabowo stressed.
Elaborating further, the head of state noted that the government has launched Sekolah Rakyat schools at 166 locations nationwide.
He also outlined plans to construct similar schools dedicated to accomplished students from families not classified as economically disadvantaged.
The president additionally emphasized the government's efforts to broaden access to education for all citizens across the country, including through remote learning and digitalization.
"The objective is to ensure that all schools, including those in remote areas, are staffed by the best teachers in every subject. This is the path Indonesia takes to make a leap forward," Prabowo said, while acknowledging the country's lag in education development.
He also reinforced the government's commitment to fostering international cooperation, including with leading British universities, with the aim of enhancing education quality and boosting human resource development in Indonesia.
