Kemendikbudristek: Illiteracy Completion Is Constrained By The COVID-19 Pandemic

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Director of Community Education and Special Education (PMPK) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) Samto said the completion of illiteracy was hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Efforts to reduce the illiteracy rate face various challenges, one of which is the ineffectiveness of learning during the pandemic. Therefore, later we will try to emphasize the program for areas with a high level of illiteracy," said Samto in Jakarta, Tuesday.

He added that all of our budgets are focused on eradicating illiteracy in the five lowest areas. If the five regions have low illiteracy, it will increase the literacy rate in the aggregate.

Five provinces that have a high illiteracy rate are Papua (22.03 percent), West Nusa Tenggara (7.52 percent), West Sulawesi (4.46 percent), East Nusa Tenggara (4.24 percent), and South Sulawesi ( 4.11 percent).

Samto added that the digital literacy movement had begun to be developed online at the Community Learning Activity Center (PKBM) since 2017.

However, the digital literacy movement is hampered by internet access. It is noted that more than 270,000 equivalence students have used the online system.

"Even during the pandemic, the number is expected to increase. This is a breakthrough for equality education. We also provide digital equipment assistance for Community Reading Parks (TBM) every year so that they can provide services digitally. Now more than 300 PKBMs have digital-based TBMs," he explained.

Meanwhile, the commemoration of the 56th International Literacy Day (HAI) in 2021 takes the theme "Literacy for a human-centred recovery: Narrowing the digital divide". At the 2021 commemoration, the Ministry of Education and Technology raised the theme "Digital Literacy for Indonesia Recovery".

The 56th HAI commemoration was held as a form of Indonesia's commitment to eradicating illiteracy and implementing international commitments set by the United Nations (UN). To enliven the 56th HAI, a series of HAI supporting events have also been prepared, including starting from May to September 2021, namely the Literacy Education Appreciation, Indonesian Literacy Festival, Media Taklimat, Equality Education Festival, and Speech Degree.

Meanwhile, the peak of the 56th HAI commemoration will be held on September 8, 2021 through a webinar and broadcast live through the Ministry of Education and Culture's social media, Education TV, and the social media of the Directorate of Public Education and Special Education.