As a vibrant archipelago nation, Indonesia stands at a critical juncture following its 2024 elections. These elections have redefined the political landscape and highlighted the urgent need for systemic reform.
The central issues to this transformation agenda are three pivotal areas: decentralization of power, revamping education infrastructure, and overhauling bureaucracy services. This article aims to dissect these areas, proposing a roadmap for a more democratic, equitable, and efficient Indonesia.
Decentralization of Bureaucracy
Historically, Indonesia’s political structure has been heavily centralized, a legacy of its colonial and authoritarian past. This centralization has often led to inefficiencies and a disconnect between the government and its diverse populace. Decentralization, therefore, presents an opportunity to bridge this gap.
By delegating authority to local governments, Indonesia can achieve more responsive and tailored governance, fostering stronger democratic practices. However, the road to decentralization is fraught with challenges, including potential disparities in regional governance capabilities and the risk of local corruption. A phased approach, coupled with strong regulatory frameworks and capacity-building initiatives, is essential to mitigate these.
The decentralization of power is also related to the decentralization of investment funds. For many years behind we can see how regional development was linked to the central government, such as Papua development by priority scales from the SBY era to the Jokowi era. How the nickel industries are also improved by the central government involvement. In the years ahead we will witness how massive regional development was ignited by decentralization of power.
Revamping Education Infrastructure
The state of Indonesia’s education system is a matter of national concern. While strides have been made, there remains a significant urban-rural divide, and many schools lack basic facilities and qualified teachers. Education is the bedrock of political and social reform; a well-educated populace is better equipped to engage in democratic processes and drive development.
To this end, Indonesia must invest in its education infrastructure – upgrading facilities, enhancing teacher training, and integrating technology into learning. These steps will not only improve educational outcomes but also prepare Indonesian youth to be informed, active participants in their nation’s future.
The educational system also needs to be reformed by rethinking how massive education operates by government work. The late policy like “SD Inpres” is acknowledged as one of the frontier policies to increase national literacy. One of the infrastructure development speeds up is to integrate two-stage (junior and senior high school) middle education into one stage system (high school). This move will transform any middle education institutions to develop their 3-year education period into 6-year middle education periods. This innovation also efficiently accelerated infrastructure readiness in many rural areas. With many junior and senior high schools distributed, the government can make it double in a short time by transforming it to facilitate a year of middle education.
Overhauling The Services
The Indonesian bureaucracy is often criticized for its inefficiency and susceptibility to corruption. These issues undermine public trust and hinder effective governance. Reforming the bureaucracy is, therefore, imperative. Digital transformation needs to be implemented to support this. While the decentralization of power transforms the approach on a big scale, the overhauling of bureaucracy services is needed to ensure the purpose is to serve the needs of its citizens.
This involves streamlining processes, implementing merit-based recruitment and promotion, and leveraging technology to enhance transparency and accountability. A reformed bureaucracy will not only deliver services more effectively but will also play a crucial role in supporting the decentralization of power and the enhancement of education.
As Indonesia stands at this pivotal moment in its history, the post-2024 era presents both challenges and opportunities. Decentralizing power, enhancing education infrastructure, and reforming bureaucracy are not just policy choices but imperatives for a resilient, progressive Indonesia. Whoever will lead the nation will play an important role in making this happen. The path ahead will require commitment, innovation, and collaboration across all sectors of society. It is a path towards a future where every Indonesian has a voice in shaping the nation’s destiny – a future that is inclusive, educated, and well-governed.
# @Abdullah A Afifi