Hardiknas 2024, Nadiem Admits It's Not Easy To Transform Education In The Country

Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek) Nadiem Anwar Makarim (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek) Nadiem Anwar Makarim stated that the Merdeka Learning movement is the government's effort to transform and advance Indonesian education.

"Being the leader of the Free Learning movement is increasingly making us aware of the challenges and opportunities we have to advance Indonesia's education," he said at the 2024 National Education Day Commemoration Ceremony (Hardiknas) in Jakarta, quoted by ANTARA Thursday, May 2.

Nadiem said that steps to transform Indonesian education at all levels ranging from early childhood education to tertiary education through the Merdeka Learning movement have been carried out for the last five years.

He admits that it's not easy to transform a very large system and it's not a simple task to change perspectives on the learning process.

Even Nadiem said that at the beginning of his journey he was very aware that he would make a big change that required struggle and created an uncomfortable feeling for some people.

However, he emphasized that changes to the Indonesian education system must still occur because feeling uncomfortable is a turmoil that usually accompanies every step towards improvement and progress.

Not only the inconvenience felt by a handful of people, when this transformation effort began to run simultaneously, it was also hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which required a slight change in the teaching and learning process.

However, at the same time, Nadiem stated that the pandemic also provides an opportunity to accelerate changes in the education system which is more following the times, including the use of digital technology.

"We have passed strong ponds and high corals together. Now, we have started to feel changes happening around us, moving together with simultaneous and simultaneous steps," he said.

According to him, now the new face of Indonesian education and culture has begun to look thanks to the Free Learning movement.

Many Indonesian children are more daring to dream because they feel independent when studying in class and teachers dare to try new things because they gain the trust to get to know and judge their students.

The students also felt the positive impact of the Freedom of Learning movement, namely they were better prepared to work and contribute because the space for learning was no longer limited on campus.

"And we have celebrated again the vibrant creative works because artists and cultural actors continue to be supported for expression," said Nadiem.