Jakarta, December 6, 2021 — The Center for Data and Information Technology (Pusdatin), the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemdikbudristek) and the Philippine Ministry of Education collaborate with experts from the Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) with each other. Share and explore the use of technology to accelerate digital equality, especially in the education sector.
Head of Pusdatin, M. Hasan Chabibie said this collaboration aims to integrate educational technology into teaching and learning practices. “That way, the digital divide can be reduced. The quality of learning can be increased, and quality education can be achieved,” he said at the ‘METAEDU21’ event organized by the Industrial Development Bureau, in early November 2021.
The form of this collaboration will continue to the International Symposium Open Distance and E Learning (ISODEL) in 2021. At that time, the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek), Nadiem Anwar Makarim revealed that technological disruption had also affected the world of education today.
“For this reason, the education ecosystem in Indonesia must be able to adapt to facing technological disruption. There is no choice but to adapt and innovate. We can use disruption as a solution,” he said at the opening of ISODEL 2021 last week.
The Minister of Education and Technology also highlighted the problems of network infrastructure and Internet connections that have not been evenly distributed in Indonesia. Another challenge is the effort to bond between the education sector and the digital sector. “With connectivity (internet) in schools, digital learning resources can be utilized more during a pandemic,” added Nadiem.
Next, the Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani, at ISODEL 2021 explained that the government had allocated a subsidy budget in the form of social assistance to education in the form of scholarships and Internet data quotas. The goal is for education to continue, especially for groups most affected by the pandemic.
The implementation of ISODEL 2021 brings collaboration with various industries engaged in technology. An example is Google. A company engaged in Internet services and products as known to develop search technology, web computing, software and online advertising. As learning technology evolves, Google brings G Suite for Education features including Classroom, Gmail, G Drive, G Suite, Google Office, and more.
Microsoft also comes with innovations that support the learning process in the new normal era with service products such as Windows 10, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Viva, One Drive and many more. Next is REFO Indonesia, which comes with one of the learning service products, namely Belajar.id. The platform presents various features that are the result of collaboration with teachers throughout Indonesia.
In order to support the needs in the education sector, PT. Complus System Solutions (COMPLUS) takes part in developing learning technology. COMPLUS is a company engaged in information technology, which includes the procurement of hardware/hardware such as: servers, PCs, laptops, printers, scanners, routers and other devices.
Next is EPSON Indonesia, which provides technological solutions to support teaching and learning activities. EPSON designs special products to meet the needs of teachers and educators to be more interactive and innovative in carrying out teaching and learning activities. In realizing school digitization, EPSON issued the Epson EB-E500 product.
Companies engaged in computer equipment such as ACER also do not want to be left behind. ACER is in accordance with its vision of “Technology Changes the Way of Learning,” carrying out digital transformation in the world of education. ACER for Education is here to provide a variety of convenient learning solutions for schools, teachers and students.
Then there is Fujitsu, which is developing technology to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and trusted future for education. Fijitsu support’s business and society by presenting a robust and reliable information technology system with three main attributes, namely: responsive, ambitious, genuine.
The cellular telecommunications companies, namely Telkomsel and Smartfren, also participated in the 2021 ISODEL event. Both have collaborated with the Ministry of Education and Culture in the internet data quota assistance program for students, teachers, students, and lecturers.
Telkomsel provides a variety of service products to support the learning process in the new normal era through the Merdeka Learn internet starter pack. This program provides additional quota of up to 52 GB and provides access to learning quota services that reach 30 GB within 30 days that can be used by students and students.
Meanwhile, for Smartfren through its service product, namely the Gokil Max package, which is increasingly economical, it is easier for all customers to access 4G internet services. This package provides a Rp15 thousand variants with a main quota of 5 GB (2 GB national quota, 3 GB local quota), and 15 GB extra quota (01.00-05.00 WIB) with an active period of 14 days. In addition, customers can also get large quotas at friendly prices in various other Gokil Max variants, starting from Rp. 2,000 per GB.
Before concluding, I appreciate the various joint efforts of stakeholders in reviving the flame of education in Indonesia. “With innovation and collaboration, together we will advance and succeed in looking at a better future for Indonesian education,” concluded the Head of the Data Center for Research and Development, Hasan.