A recent revelation that hundreds of middle school students in Indonesia still cannot read has sparked widespread concern and criticism. Despite the country’s massive education budget, this situation highlights the ongoing crisis in literacy and the overall quality of education.
In Buleleng, Bali, for example, a disturbing trend has emerged. Instead of studying textbooks, many students are more engaged with social media. Data shows that 155 students in the region are completely illiterate, while another 208 struggle to read fluently. They may be adept at navigating digital platforms, but they falter when it comes to basic reading skills.
This alarming situation paints a grim picture of Indonesia’s education system and comes at a time when the country’s 2022 PISA scores have taken another hit. The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), administered by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), revealed that Indonesia’s reading score dropped to just 359—the lowest since it began participating in the assessment in 2000. This decline underscores a deep-rooted literacy crisis that persists despite growing education expenditures.
PISA evaluates the abilities of 15-year-old students across three domains: mathematics, reading, and science. The 2022 survey, which was delayed from 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, focused primarily on mathematics, with special attention to students’ reasoning skills. The results offer one of the most comprehensive looks yet at how the pandemic has impacted student performance worldwide.
Indonesia’s poor reading performance lags far behind regional peers. While Singapore scored 543 and Vietnam 462, Indonesia was even outperformed by the Philippines (347) and Thailand (379). Among the eight ASEAN countries assessed, only Cambodia ranked lower.
The pandemic’s impact on education has been profound. School closures and the shift to remote learning disrupted the teaching process, limiting students’ ability to grasp key concepts. But even before COVID-19, Indonesia was already facing significant challenges in education.
UNESCO data reveals that reading interest among Indonesians is shockingly low—just 0.001%. That equates to only one reader out of every 1,000 people. A 2016 study by Central Connecticut State University ranked Indonesia 60th out of 61 countries in reading interest, placing it just above Botswana.
Local education authorities have offered further insight into the issue. According to Putu Ariadi, acting head of the Buleleng Education Department, the problem isn’t solely due to curriculum or teachers. He cites trauma, lack of family support, and the long-term effects of distance learning during the pandemic as key factors. “Some students suffer from trauma caused by domestic violence, divorce, or the loss of family members. Others have been victims of bullying,” he explained.
I Made Sedana, Chair of the Buleleng Education Council, also pointed to the overly bureaucratic nature of teaching, which leaves teachers with less time to focus on essential reading and writing instruction.
The issue runs deeper than smartphone use in classrooms. Experts argue that what’s needed is a comprehensive overhaul of the education system—one that includes individualized student assessments, teaching reforms, and, crucially, meaningful parental involvement.
Yet data from Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS) indicates that parental involvement in early childhood literacy is minimal. Most parents do not regularly engage in reading activities with their children, further compounding the problem.
Despite the government’s significant investment in education, the inability of many students to read reflects systemic failures. Without targeted reforms and active engagement from both educators and families, Indonesia’s literacy crisis is unlikely to improve.
