Jakarta, Sketsa.id – Every May 2, Indonesia commemorates National Education Day. Behind this date lies the story of a nobleman who chose to abandon his title to free his people from the shackles of poverty, ignorance, and colonial oppression.
From Exile to Revolution: The Birth of a National Hero
Born Raden Mas Soewardi Soerjaningrat on May 2, 1889, into Javanese aristocracy, Ki Hajar Dewantara had access to elite Dutch education. But he refused to become part of a colonial system designed only to produce obedient low-level clerks.
At 19, he entered journalism. His sharp writings often sparked controversy. The breaking point came in 1913 when he published “Als Ik Eens Nederlander Was” or “If I Were a Dutchman“. In it, he mocked Dutch plans to celebrate 100 years of independence from France while asking suffering Indonesians for donations. For that, he was arrested and exiled to Bangka, then to the Netherlands.
Returning home in 1919, he founded the National Onderwijs Instituut Taman Siswa in Yogyakarta in July 1922. This school became a symbol of resistance against a colonial education system that only benefited the elite. There, he coined the motto that still guides Indonesian educators today: “Ing Ngarsa Sung Tuladha” (leading by example), “Ing Madya Mangun Karsa” (building will in the middle), and “Tut Wuri Handayani” (giving encouragement from behind). He also mandated Indonesian as the language of instruction, a bold act when Dutch still dominated.
In 1959, the Indonesian government named him a National Hero. His birthday, May 2, was declared National Education Day by Presidential Decree Number 316 of 1959.
Education in Indonesia Today: Progress and Persistent Challenges
Indonesia still faces serious educational challenges. The gap between urban and rural areas remains wide, as does the uneven quality of facilities. According to 2025 data from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, thousands of schools are still in poor condition, especially in remote and underdeveloped regions. The 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey also showed Indonesian students’ literacy and numeracy scores still below the OECD average.
Meanwhile, the government’s Free Nutritious Meal program (MBG) has sparked debate, as its budget has been taken from the education allocation. Academics from the Constitutional and Administrative Law Society (CALS) have criticized the move. “The question is not whether the MBG program is beneficial or not, but whether the state may fulfill the right to food by narrowing the funding for the right to education. The answer is clearly no,” said Yance Arizona, a law lecturer at Gadjah Mada University, during a constitutional review hearing at the Constitutional Court.
With Indonesia’s 2026 education budget set at Rp769 trillion (approximately $48 billion), and MBG allocation reaching around Rp268 trillion (almost one-third of the total education fund), a significant portion of education resources is being diverted to a program that falls under the health and social protection framework.
National Education Day this year serves as a reminder of Ki Hajar Dewantara’s message: that education is the most powerful weapon to free a nation from backwardness. And that mission cannot succeed if the budget continues to be drained by programs that fall outside the core purpose of education. (cc)
