The first time I read the roadmap to Golden Indonesia 2045 (Kementerian, 2019), a question popped into my mind: “How are they going to achieve this?” The reason for this question was simply that the ‘high-level’ language the Indonesian government used in their document could lead to two different directions: “Is the government setting up a space for the people to be creative and come up with the how-to ideas? Is the government still cooking up the how-to instruction and will later publish it for the people?” The answer is a mix of both: five years later, in 2024, the administration changed, but the vision remained unchanged. So, what exactly is the government’s vision about Indonesia: the people, the economy, the natural resources, and the technology? Well, you can find the complete explanations in the document issued by Kementerian PPN/Bappenas, and for the purposes of this article, I will focus only on the people section.
People: Excellent, well-educated, and proficient in science and technology
In the roadmap, the Indonesian government outlines its ambition to improve the quality of education, which includes the average years of schooling: 12 years, with 60% of these high school graduates continuing their college education; high-skilled workers who are fluent in foreign languages; the accentuation of the Indonesian cultural and ethical values; and to make Indonesia as one of science and technology centers in Asia and the world by 2045 (Kementerian, 2019).
Indonesia 2045 Development Pillar
Note. Taken from Kementerian, 2019.
Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? And since 2026 marks five years since the Indonesian government introduced the Golden 2045 vision, let us take a look at the success it has achieved so far in people development, especially in K-12 education.
People: Measuring proficiency in language, math, science, and technology
In November 2025, the Indonesian government started a new assessment test for K-12 students named “Tes Kemampuan Akademik” (TPA) to measure students’ academic achievement in several subjects objectively (Swawikanti, 2025). This test will be used to decide whether students are capable of continuing their education to the next level they desire.
According to Kemendikdasmen, more than 2 million students participated in the pilot TPA last November (Yanuar, 2025), and the results sent an alarming message to the government (Swasty, 2026; Harian, 2026).
TPA Result for Elementary School (2025/2026)
Note. Taken from Kemendikdasmen, 2025.
TPA Result for Middle School (2025/2026)
Note. Taken from Kemendikdasmen, 2025.
TPA Result for High School (2025/2026)
Note. Taken from Kemendikdasmen, 2025.
What does the data tell us? Based on the data, we could draw several conclusions, for example:
1. The K-12 students in Indonesia have a high degree of proficiency in their native language (Bahasa Indonesia).
2. Although English is the most widely spoken language in the world, the Indonesian high school students found other languages, like Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese, and even French, to be more learnable than the English language.
3. While thriving in a memorized-based subjects, such as history, civic education, or sociology, the Indonesian K-12 students are facing difficulties dealing with mathematics and basic science and technology, such as physics, chemistry, and biology at the high school level.
Imagine you were called by the Indonesian Ministry of Education to help with the situation in your capacity as a school librarian. What advice will you provide for the Ministry people to get different results?
References
Harian Kompas. (2026, May 3). Hasil Tes Kompetensi Akademik jeblok, efektivitas MBG dipertanyakan [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJiAiTwxics&t=23s
Kemendikdasmen. (2025). Statistik nasional. https://tka.kemendikdasmen.go.id/hasiltka/ Kementerian PPN/Bappenas. (2019). Indonesia 2045: Berdaulat, Maju, Adil, dan Makmur.
Swasty, R. (2026, May 19). Hasil TKA matematika rendah, pola belajar di kelas harus dibenahi! Medcom.id. https://www.medcom.id/pendidikan/news-pendidikan/Wb7dXQ0k-hasil-tka matematika-rendah-pola-belajar-di-kelas-harus-dibenahi
Swawikanti, K. (2025, Sep 1). Kenali Tes Kemampuan Akademik (TKA), apa bedanya dengan UN? ruang guru. https://www.ruangguru.com/blog/tes-kemampuan-akademik
Yanuar. (2025, Sep 4). Lebih dari 2 juta murid telah mendaftar Tes Kemampuan Akademik (TKA) 2025. Kemendikdasmen. https://puslapdik.kemendikdasmen.go.id/lebih-dari-2-juta murid-telah-mendaftar-tes-kemampuan-akademik-tka-2025/
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