Has Indonesian Education Been Evenly Distributed?

Education is one of the important factors for the progress of the state and nation. A quality education system will have a positive impact on people's lives and the economy of a country. Education makes people or individuals themselves gain extensive knowledge, also gain an understanding of life, hone skills and develop personality.

However, as we see one of the education issues that must be considered in Indonesia is the quality and equality of education in Indonesia. Equality education is a form of education designed to provide opportunities for individuals who cannot access or complete formal education such as primary school, junior high school and senior high school. Education is the backbone of society as it has a significant impact on the politics, economy and welfare of a country.
Quoted from pkbmronaa.sch.id, the legality of pursuing packages A, B, and C has been guaranteed by the government in Law No. 20/2003 concerning the national education system which states that equivalency education is a non-formal education program that organizes general education equivalent to SD / MI, SMP / MTs, and SMA / MA which includes package A, package B, and package C programs.
This is also reinforced in article 17 paragraphs 2-3 which say that education equivalent to SD / MI is a program such as package A and equivalent to SMP / MTs is a package B program, while education equivalent to SMA / MA is a program such as package C. The legal basis for the implementation of kejar paket A, B, and C is government regulation number 73 of 1991 concerning out-of-school education and a joint agreement between the Director General of Out-of-School Education and the Department of Youth.
But whether the government has carried out the program

But has the government carried out this work program evenly?

In fact, until now there are still many remote areas in Indonesia that have not received the proper education as promised by the government. The main factor causing education inequality stems from the fundamental problem of wide geographical distribution and inadequate infrastructure conditions in some remote areas. Many parts of Indonesia, especially in the east, lack education facilities, qualified teachers and access to learning materials. Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) shows that there is a significant difference between rural and urban school enrollment rates. By 2022, the school enrollment rate for 16-18 year olds in urban areas will be around 72.53%, while in rural areas it will only reach 60.09%.

Beyond access, the quality of education in Indonesia varies widely. Many schools in urban areas have better facilities, adequate access to technology, and experienced and educated education personnel, while in rural areas the quality is inversely proportional to urban areas where facilities are makeshift, difficult to access technology and even lag behind technology itself, and educators who do not have experience.
Education levels in Indonesia are also strongly influenced by socioeconomic factors as families who earn higher incomes tend to have better access to quality education, whereas children from low-income families often struggle to pursue higher education due to limited funds and lack of neighborhood support.
In conclusion, despite efforts to improve education equality, many challenges remain. The data shows that inequality between regions and socio-economic groups is still very real, it needs a strong commitment from all parties, especially the government, to realize a truly equitable and quality education throughout Indonesia.