TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Student Executive Board of Indonesia (BEM SI) is set to hold a demonstration to commemorate National Education Day (Hardiknas) today, May 2, 2026. The protest will take place at the Arjuna Wijaya Horse Statue area in Central Jakarta.
In a post on the @bem_si Instagram account, the demonstration carries the hashtag #GelapGulitaPendidikanIndonesia (Darkness of Indonesian Education). BEM SI highlights persistent disparities in education and policies that they claim are moving away from the interests of the people.
"Hardiknas is not just a ceremony. This is a moment of resistance, a moment to voice the truth," the @bem_si caption read, as seen by Tempo on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
BEM SI has issued nine demands to the government:
1. Reform of education budget management, the separation of public education funds from the bureaucracy, and an end to the excessive commercialization of education;
2. Urging central and regional governments to prioritize education as a substantive priority rather than a formal budget formality;
3. Demanding equal access to quality education in remote, underdeveloped, and vulnerable areas;
4. Urging for the improvement of teacher welfare, a fair and transparent resolution of honorary teacher status, equal distribution of teachers, and reform of the recruitment system;
5. Demanding the rehabilitation of damaged schools and the provision of adequate educational facilities nationwide;
6. Urging for consistent, data-driven, and long-term oriented education policies;
7. Promoting genuine, contextual character education rooted in national values and local wisdom;
8. Demanding transparency and strict oversight of all education budget utilization;
9. And urging a revision of the National Education System (Sisdiknas) Law through discussions involving civil society participation.
Read: Prabowo Says He Will Make Major Investments in Education
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
